The last time a Manchester United player scored 20 Premier League goals in a single season was Robin van Persie back in 2012/13, with the Red Devils having long waited to find a prolific presence again to lead the line.
While not a centre-forward by trade, Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo could well be the man to end that search, with the Cameroon international reportedly deciding to join Ruben Amorim’s ranks this summer, fresh off the back of netting 20 league goals for the Bees.
That remarkable individual campaign isn’t exactly a breakthrough one for the 25-year-old, however, with his talent having been evident ever since he arrived in west London back in 2019. Indeed, a return of 121 goals and assists in 242 games in all competitions says it all.
Season
Player
Goals
2024/25
Bruno Fernandes & Amad
8
2023/24
Bruno Fernandes & Rasmus Hojlund
10
2022/23
Marcus Rashford
17
2021/22
Cristiano Ronaldo
18
2020/21
Bruno Fernandes
18
2019/20
Marcus Rashford & Anthony Martial
17
2018/19
Paul Pogba
13
2017/18
Romelu Lukaku
16
2016/17
Zlatan Ibrahimovic
17
2015/16
Anthony Martial
11
2014/15
Wayne Rooney
12
2013/14
Wayne Rooney
17
2012/13
Robin van Persie
26
Perhaps more importantly, the £60m-rated star has provided 70 goal involvements in 136 top-flight games to date, including the fourth goal as Thomas Frank’s men ravaged United at the Gtech in August 2022.
The speed and power with which the winger tore away from Luke Shaw on the counter, before slotting home, was truly breathtaking, with Amorim in desperate need of more of the same should that deal be wrapped up as expected.
With Matheus Cunha on one side and Mbeumo on the other, United could be a force to be reckoned with once again. How about throwing a new striker into the mix too?
Latest on Man Utd's search for a striker
“The most unlucky number nine Manchester United have ever had”. Those were the words directed toward Rasmus Hojlund by TNT’s Darren Fletcher during United’s 2-0 win over Aston Villa, with the struggling Dane seeing a header ruled out for offside as he once again fired a blank.
A measly return of four league goals in 2024/25 has ensured the 22-year-old could well be nudged toward the exit door this summer, with the former Atalanta man perhaps in line for a return to Serie A, amid interest from Champions League finalists, Inter.
With one number nine potentially departing, another could well be set to replace him, with Football Insider claiming that INEOS are accelerating their pursuit of Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres, with Amorim believed to be keen on a reunion with his former talisman.
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The report suggests that the 26-year-old is the “dream” centre-forward target, following United’s failure to convince Liam Delap to make a move, with Amorim having signed the Swede from Coventry City in 2023.
As the piece does outline, however, the stumbling block is likely to be the financial package required to be able to sign the 6 foot 2 marksman, not least if his reported £83m release clause is accurate.
That said, reports elsewhere have claimed that he could depart the Lisbon side for a much more reasonable fee of £59m, with that surely worth the outlay for a player who has been in red-hot form of late.
Why Man Utd need to fork out for Gyokeres
Managing to land a player like Mbeumo – considering his Premier League-proven quality – would no doubt represent a real coup, with analyst Ben Mattinson lauding the former Troyes star as “one of the most deadly players on transition” in the top-flight.
Just as exciting, however, would be the prospect of signing the “hottest striker in Europe”, as hailed by ESPN’s Mark Ogden, with Gyokeres having set the world alight following his prolific form in Portugal.
Formerly the scourge of Championship defences, after scoring 46 goals in 117 games for Coventry, the in-demand star has gone to a whole new level at Sporting, having registered 97 goals in just 102 games over the last two years.
It is that rampant form which has led outspoken pundit Rafael van der Vaart to hail Gyokeres as perhaps a “better version of [Erling] Haaland”, with his fellow Scandinavian memorably scoring 86 goals in 89 games for Borussia Dortmund, before joining Manchester City in 2022.
Both men did shine during the inaugural league phase of the Champions League last season, with Gyokeres netting six times in eight appearances, while Haaland scored eight goals in nine games for Pep Guardiola’s side.
Non-penalty goals
0.59
0.70
Shots
3.26
4.21
Assists
0.15
0.00
Shot-creating actions
3.85
1.52
Pass completion
80.0%
74.4%
Progressive passes
1.78
1.05
Progressive carries
4.29
0.94
Successful take-ons
1.18
0.35
Touches in opposition box
6.07
6.79
Progressive passes received
9.47
3.75
The Norwegian machine may have outscored the Sporting sensation, although – as Van der Vaart alluded to – it was Gyokeres who showcased more to his game, as evidenced with regard to his superior record in progressive carries, pass completion and shot-creating actions.
Shot-creating actions are pieces of play that lead to a shot. These include moments such as a pass, take-on or foul being drawn.
The scorer of 39 league goals to boot – ahead of Haaland’s return of 22 Premier League goals – the one-time Brighton man appears to be the prolific presence that United are crying out for, with the club only netting 44 times as a whole in England’s top-flight last time out.
Partnering two players who have been there and done it in the Premier League – in the form of Cunha and Mbeumo – with a figure who just can’t stop scoring right now could prove the perfect combination, with United still longing for the days of Carlos Tevez, Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney leading the line.
Of course, these three potential summer arrivals would have to go some way to match the levels of those 2008 Champions League heroes, although it’s hard to think of a more exciting triumvirate since.
The new Cavani: Man Utd in talks to sign "outrageous" £50m Mbeumo partner
Manchester United could land a player who could star at Old Trafford alongside Bryan Mbeumo.
2 ByEthan LambJun 3, 2025