Two winners and two losers as Bryan Mbeumo officially joins Manchester United for £65m

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Manchester United have completed the signing of Bryan Mbeumo from Brentford, with the Cameroonian the second big Red Devils acquisition this summer.

Manchester United confirmed on Monday evening that the deal with Brentford star had been completed, in a move worth £65m plus £6m in add-ons.

Mbeumo’s first words as a Red Devil were: “As soon as I knew there was a chance to join Manchester United, I had to take the opportunity to sign for the club of my dreams; the team whose shirt I wore growing up.”

Now, here are two potential winners and losers as Manchester United finally bolster the front line alongside the signing of Cunha.

Winner: Joshua Zirkzee

Following a spend of nearly £130 million on Mbeumo and Cunha alone, Joshua Zirkzee will fancy his chances of being the main focal point of the new-look attack at Old Trafford.

Indeed, his return of three goals in 32 Premier League appearances leaves a lot to be desired, but Zirkzee is far from your atypical striker.

Zirkzee has garnered interest from Juventus in the past, but the Dutchman can prove to be an integral player in the squad with his precise link-up play.

Once the Manchester United faithful come to terms with the fact that Zirkzee may never become a 20-goal-a-season forward, he can be appreciated for the qualities he brings to the team and watch as Mbeumo and Cunha benefit directly from his talents.

Winner: Bruno Fernandes

When the chips are down, far more often than not, the Manchester United captain has been tasked with producing a moment of magic to get his side over the line.

TBR Football exclusively reported in June that Al-Hilal were preparing a record-breaking offer for Bruno Fernandes, but the bid was quickly thwarted, and Fernandes will remain with the Red Devils.

The 30-year-old will undoubtedly have no regrets regarding his decision as Manchester United aim to ease the goalscoring burden on Fernandes’ shoulders.

As he approaches the twilight years of his career, Fernandes can focus his ability on turning provider rather than goalscorer – with Mbeumo and Cunha to provide for, the Portuguese international will feel confident about his side’s chances of challenging domestically.

Loser: Sir Jim Ratcliffe

Although Sir Jim Ratcliffe has added another weapon to Amorim’s arsenal at Old Trafford, his approach to the negotiations with Brentford could not have been more telling.

After nearly two months of haggling over the fee for Mbeumo, Newcastle United’s pursuit of Yoane Wissa forced Manchester United into succumbing to Brentford’s demands only hours later.

Yes, the supporters will be delighted to see the long, drawn-out saga come to an end, but Ratcliffe’s reactionary decision will give selling clubs the confidence to demand higher transfer fees from the Red Devils.

Considering that back in April, Manchester United scoffed at the fee for Victor Osimhen amid what promised to be a busy summer, Ratcliffe has essentially backed himself into a corner and could be forced into paying fees he cannot afford to give Amorim the best possible chance of success this season.

Loser: Mason Mount

The 26-year-old has endured a tough spell at Manchester United since making the switch from Chelsea despite being handed a start in the Europa League final loss against Tottenham in May.

Mason Mount has been consistently criticised for his contributions during an injury-plagued spell at Old Trafford. However, many supporters still cling to the hope that the midfielder can replicate the form he showed in West London.

However, any hope of claiming a starting berth for the Premier League opener against Arsenal is all but gone with Mbeumo following Cunha as the subsequent big-money acquisition.

Mbeumo enjoyed his most prolific campaign last season, scoring 20 league goals for Brentford, and he will undoubtedly be one of the first names on the team sheet alongside Cunha, potentially at Mount’s expense.