Bryan Mbeumo revealed that he had conversations with other Premier League managers before being convinced by Ruben Amorim’s pitch for Manchester United.
The former Brentford talisman was a man in demand this summer. Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United were both heavily linked with a forward fresh from scoring 20 Premier League goals last season. Brentford were reportedly pushing Mbeumo towards those top-flight rivals rather than Manchester United, only for the player to get the move he had always dreamed of.
As a childhood fan of the Red Devils, the Cameroon international was naturally leaning towards Old Trafford. Yet, a conversation with United’s head coach also proved to be decisive.
“We are people who like winning, and we want to be the best team,” was Amorim’s sales pitch to Mbeumo, as revealed by the new recruit during an interview with The Athletic.
“It was a very friendly conversation and a constructive one,” Mbeumo continued. “He explained his project to me, what he wanted to do and I really clicked on that. Of course I spoke to some other managers because I wanted to hear their projects but the Manchester United one was very good for me.”
United’s home ground was also a consideration. “You want to play on the greatest stages in the world, and Old Trafford is one of them, so being able to play here every two weeks is just big.”
Negotiations between United and Brentford dragged on for more than six weeks. There were several stages in the saga when it seemed as though Mbeumo would remain in west London but the 25-year-old was never in doubt himself.
“I always trust my people around me,” he shrugged. “The transfer windows can be long, can be short, so you have to be patient and just try to keep thinking positively about things.
“I was obviously on my holidays, so I just wanted to think about resting mentally and physically and if it was going to happen, it was going to happen. I was convinced that it was going to happen.
“Manchester is a big club. I think it’s a great opportunity. I’m someone who likes a challenge. There is a very good project in Manchester and I wanted to be part of it.”
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Bryan Mbeumo Reveals How Ruben Amorim Convinced Him to Snub Tottenham, Newcastle.
