Manchester United have officially secured the services of Cameroonian forward Bryan Mbeumo from Brentford, with sources confirming to ESPN that the transfer fee exceeds £70 million ($94m).
The 25-year-old attacker joins the Red Devils on a long-term contract and becomes their second acquisition of the summer, following the arrival of striker Matheus Cunha from Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Mbeumo is expected to feature during United’s pre-season tour of the United States, which includes fixtures in Chicago, New York, and Atlanta.
The team, under manager Ruben Amorim, is scheduled to depart for the U.S. on Tuesday.
After a fruitful six-year spell at Brentford, Mbeumo departs having made 242 appearances, scoring 70 goals and providing 51 assists for the Bees.
United had been locked in talks with Brentford for several weeks, with insiders revealing that the London club stood firm in their valuation, insisting the player was worth more than the £62.5 million paid for Cunha.
“There’s some frustration at United at how Brentford handled the negotiations,” sources said.
Club officials felt Brentford continually shifted their demands, at one stage requesting £70 million plus an additional £7 million in performance-based add-ons.
Some individuals within United’s camp believe Brentford may have attempted to steer Mbeumo toward alternative destinations, such as Newcastle United or Tottenham Hotspur, allegedly pressuring him to accept lower personal terms in exchange for a more favorable transfer fee for the club.
United were also aware of interest from Arsenal, as well as a last-minute attempt by Chelsea to hijack the move.
Brentford insiders, however, have a different perspective, suggesting that United deliberately offered Mbeumo a lucrative wage package early on to secure his commitment, only to later table formal offers below their expectations during negotiations.