Man Utd boss Ruben Amorim gets his way with Bryan Mbeumo signing before key deadline

Manchester United have finally got a deal over the line for Bryan Mbeumo, signing the Brentford forward on a five-year deal for a transfer fee that could reach £71million

It took them two months, but Manchester United have finally signed Bryan Mbeumo.

The 25-year-old forward has signed a five-year contract, with the option of a further year, worth £200,000-a-week after prolonged – and increasingly bitter – negotiations with Brentford. United have agreed to pay an initial fee of £65million plus a further £6m in add-ons for the Cameroon international.

He becomes the second major signing of the summer transfer window, after Matheus Cunha, and is something of a coup for United, who beat competition from Arsenal, Tottenham, Newcastle and Chelsea to land him.

The wages United were willing to pay undoubtedly played a part in their success, but the club knew they had to do something, given their lack of European football in the upcoming season.

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There are still 42 days left in the transfer window, yet United were operating to a different, self-imposed, deadline. Like many of their rivals, United were keen to get deals done early this summer in order to allow their manager as much time as possible on the training pitch with them.

Cunha was wrapped up extremely quickly, officially signed on June 12, having announced the deal on June 1. The £62.5m capture from Wolves was a statement of intent and the speed of the negotiations has benefited him and Amorim.

The United head coach told director of football Jason Wilcox and the wider recruitment team that he wanted signings done in time for them to come on their pre-season tour. United fly out to the United States on Tuesday to play in the Premier League Summer Series. That means Mbeumo has only just made the plane.

That ticking clock is ultimately why United decided to meet Brentford’s demands for a fee above £70m. Having seen two bids rejected, they returned with a third last week, in order to end the weeks-long stalemate.

It means Mbeumo will make his United debut when they play West Ham in New Jersey on July 27, before games against Bournemouth and Everton in Chicago and Atlanta. United will then play Fiorentina at Old Trafford in their final pre-season game on August 9, before starting their Premier League campaign against Arsenal on August 17.

“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,” Mbeumo said.

“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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