Despite finishing only 15th in the Premier League last season and being left empty-handed in all competitions, Manchester United still have some positive signals to expect improvement.
Matheus Cunha arrived at Old Trafford from Wolves at the start of the 2025 summer transfer window and this may not be the last big deal for the "Red Devils". According to British media, Bryan Mbeumo expressed his desire to join Man United, despite the interest from many other big teams.
The Old Trafford side are set to raise the asking price for the Cameroonian to £70 million after two previous offers were rejected by Brentford.
Another positive development was the refusal of captain Bruno Fernandes to accept a heavy invitation from Saudi Arabia. The successful retention of the Portuguese midfielder not only helps stabilize the squad, but also shows a commitment to the reconstruction project that coach Ruben Amorim is pursuing.
The journey to revive Man United is still full of thorns, but the first moves show that this team is on the right track.
"Cunha and Mbeumo have experience playing in the Premier League and are suitable models" - former defender Gary Neville commented. But that is not the only reason why these two players are considered the solution to Man United's problems.
Scoring was a serious problem for Man United last season. Despite being sixth in terms of chances created, the "Red Devils" are second to last in the tournament in terms of the conversion rate of shots into goals. They are also only fourth from bottom in terms of finishing accuracy.
Amorim's side have failed to score in 15 Premier League games - only Southampton and Leicester (the two relegated sides) have missed more games. Notably, 11 of those games have come under Amorim.
Not only did Man United end poorly, they also had difficulty taking advantage of opportunities. According to statistics, they should have scored at least 9 more goals compared to the total of 44 actual goals after 38 rounds - a big gap in terms of expected goals (xG).
Therefore, Cunha and Mbeumo are expected to make an immediate difference.
While Man United struggled in front of goal, Mbeumo was one of the most effective players in the tournament. The Brentford striker scored 7 more goals than the xG - the highest achievement in the Premier League last season. Cunha also finished third in this category, showing his impressive finishing ability.
Therefore, Cunha and Mbeumo could bring the sharpness that Man United are lacking. But whether they will be directly included in the starting lineup or not remains to be seen.
Selling some players such as Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho, Antony, Jadon Sancho or Tyrell Malacia is considered feasible for Man United to increase their budget. Especially in the context that they need money to close the Mbeumo deal soon.
The deal is in the final stages of waiting for a final response from Brentford. The contract will be signed quickly if both parties reach a financial agreement.
