Manchester United have had a ‘shock bid’ for Emiliano Martinez rejected by an ‘incredulous’ Aston Villa after completing a deal for Bryan Mbeumo.
The Cameroon international was finally announced as the Red Devils’ third summer signing on Monday after Matheus Cunha joined in a £62.5m move from Wolves while Diego Leon arrived for £3.3m, and United aren’t at all happy with Brentford over their tactics during negotiations.
Amid reports claiming Sir Jim Ratcliffe would not be ‘held to ransom’ as Brentford held out for their asking price, Mirror have revealed that Manchester United are ‘angry’ with Mbeumo’s now former club in a ‘slam’ of their transfer tactics.
It’s claimed Brentford ‘put pressure on the forward to go to Newcastle or Tottenham’ over United despite the 25-year-old insisting he only had eyes for a move to Old Trafford, while putting further ‘pressure on Mbeumo to reduce his wage demands’ in order to ‘increase the size of fee they would receive’.
The report adds:
‘Sources involved in the deal claim Brentford wanted a fee of £70m plus £7m in add-ons for Mbeumo, but United managed to negotiate down that final figure, with the £6m add-ons relating to a mix of team and individual performances.’
Mbeumo’s delighted though, having joined the club of his “dreams”.
“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,” said Mbeumo.
“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.”
Reports suggest Amorim’s priorities are now a new striker and central midfielder, but United have also been linked with a host of new goalkeepers this summer after Andre Onana’s less than convincing second season at the club.
And The Daily Mail claim the Red Devils saw a bid for Villa’s Martinez – whom Amorim ‘had set his sights on to provide the third leg of his summer rebuild’ – rejected over the weekend.
The report claims that United’s loan proposal for the 32-year-old was ‘put to Villa officials but was met with incredulity and rebuffed immediately’.