Despite sealing a deal for their long-term target Bryan Mbeumo, Manchester United are widely described as being unhappy with Brentford’s negotiating strategy.
After six weeks of fluctuating speculation, United got their man. The Red Devils eventually agreed a deal on Monday thought to be worth a final £71 million ($95.7 million) made up of an initial £65 million ($87.6 million) plus £6 million ($8.1 million) spread over four years. Yet, the shadowy details of the discussions have begun to emerge.
United are thought to have opened up with an offer of £45 million ($61 million) plus £10 million ($13.5 million) which Brentford swiftly rebuffed. Over several rounds of negotiations, United claim that the Bees repeatedly “changed the goalposts”, The Telegraph report. After several rounds of complicated negotiations, Brentford’s final asking price was thought to be £70 million ($94.4 million) plus £7 million ($9.4 million) in add-ons.
When it became clear that United wouldn’t quite stretch to those demands, Brentford reportedly tried to usher Mbeumo towards Newcastle United or Tottenham Hotspur. Both clubs were expected to be more inclined to meet the asking price without offering the same salary as United.
In order to extract a larger fee for themselves, Brentford supposedly floated the idea that Mbeumo lower his salary demands. BBC Sport described this as a “cheeky mention” while other outlets were less forgiving with the framing.
It appears that Mbeumo’s preference for United went beyond finances. “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,” he gushed at his unveiling.
“My mentality is to always be better than I was yesterday. I know that I have the spirit and character to reach another level here, learning from Ruben Amorim and playing alongside world-class players.
“Everybody told me about the environment that is being created here and how exciting the plans are for the future. This is a massive club, with an incredible stadium and amazing fans, we are all really determined to challenge for the biggest trophies.”
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Man Utd ‘Deeply Frustrated’ by Bryan Mbeumo Saga.
