The Red Devils’ search for a center-forward Chris Nee is influenced by Manchester United’s new striker.
Which of Manchester United’s center-forward transfer targets would best fit Bryan Mbeumo’s style of play?
According to reports, Man Utd has reduced their striker options to Benjamin Sesko of RB Leipzig and Ollie Watkins of Aston Villa. Watkins has three years remaining on his contract and would be hard for Villa to replace at a price close to what United believes they can spend.
Although United has already spent a lot of money on Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha during the current summer transfer window, they are still without a reliable number nine because Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee both fell short of their own expectations as United finished sixth from the bottom of the Premier League the previous season.
Mbeumo told former Red Devils defender Rio Ferdinand that Watkins is “good” in his first interview with the outside media as a United player.
“[Watkins] is like a complete striker who can do a lot of things,” Mbeumo stated.
“I think he’s great for me or as a winger because you can use his space to fit in there. He can drop… or go in behind.”
“He can combine as well, so yeah, he’s really good.”
During their time together at Brentford in the 2019–20 EFL Championship, Mbeumo and Watkins played together 46 times across all competitions.
Watkins joined Villa in September 2020 and has since scored 75 goals in 184 league games for the Birmingham team, making him their all-time Premier League top scorer.
Regardless of who else the team can bring in or where head coach Ruben Amorim asks him to play, United’s new star is confident in his ability to perform.
At his new club, Mbeumo is bursting with self-assurance.
“Obviously I’ve played as a winger mainly at Brentford but I don’t have one specific position where I feel I can do the best,” Mbeumo said.
“I used to play as a No. 9 or even a 10 in the pocket for Brentford. I am capable of playing every position.
“I believe that in football today, you need to be flexible and able to play a few different positions in addition to your greatest one. However, I think experience is a great thing.
“I’ll play in any position the coach wants me to be in. In order to continue working hard, my first goal is to ensure that I’m prepared for the season to begin.”
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