Manchester United will enter the 2025/26 campaign with new wide forwards. In Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo, there’s fresh cause for optimism.
So many things went wrong for Erik ten Hag and then Ruben Amorim last term, and perhaps we’ve dissected the woes of last year enough. United need to look forward, and Amorim knows that with such Premier League-proven stars strengthening his frontline, he might genuinely have the tools to push for a place at the top end of the table.
Last season was not good enough, and so the summer clearout is underway, and the new signings so far look to be on the money.
Cunha has been a menace for Wolverhampton Wanderers over the past several years, with a genuine wow factor to complement his hunger for goals and assists.
Brentford’s Mbeumo might not be so skilful, but who can argue against the 25-year-old’s goalscoring ability? Pen has not yet been put to paper, but it looks like the Red Devils have hit the jackpot with this one.
Why Man United are signing Bryan Mbeumo
First and foremost, Mbeumo fits the bill from a tactical standpoint. He’s powerful, precise and prolific. The right-sided forward is better than both Antony and Jadon Sancho, more accomplished in the English game.
And it’s that last point which tells all. Gone are the days of scattergun spending on those showing promise overseas. Hello, new regime, with tried and tested players like those discussed at the forefront.
Last season, Mbeumo forged an elite partnership with Yoane Wissa, one that forged 40 goals and 14 assists. They played with such gusto and coherence that they will feature heavily in wistful conversations in years to come. But it was truly a thing to behold, with former Bees boss Thomas Frank even calling his Cameroonian forward “unplayable” at times.
Mbeumo will be tasked with establishing new relationships at Old Trafford, and he might just at that, with INEOS now turning their attention to a centre-forward.
Man United in talks for new striker
Manchester United need to sign an upgrade on Rasmus Hojlund. The 22-year-old lost his way last year, scoring only four goals in the Premier League and routinely failing to deliver.
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Therefore, United have set their sights on RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko, with none other than Fabrizio Romano confirming a deal for the Slovenian striker has been discussed internally.
Liam Delap and Viktor Gyokeres are among the names targeted already this summer, but the former has signed for Chelsea, while Amorim’s former protege is in the process of joining Arsenal.
Reporter Ben Jacobs has corroborated Romano’s report, iterating United’s priority of signing a striker and noting that Sesko, who is 22, is back on the radar, having been earmarked one year ago. Leipzig are thought to be seeking something in the region of £78m.
Why Man United want Benjamin Sesko
While there’s a new emphasis on signing domestically, United aren’t going to turn a blind eye to those out on the continent who have enough talent to warrant a move.
And Sesko has the potential to be a superstar. Talent scout Jacek Kulig has even gone as far as to declare him as “the new Haaland”, for his strength, clinical power and tall, rangy figure are reminiscent of the Manchester City goal machine.
While 13 goals from 33 Bundesliga games last season isn’t a haul to set the world on fire, the £94k-per-week talent only missed ten big chances, notching five assists too.
And Kulig also noted that Sesko’s blistering running power makes him “one of the fastest players on the planet”.
Ranked among the top 11% of strikers across Europe’s top five leagues last season for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref, Sesko is also established as a ball-carrying talent. He has pace, to be sure, but manages that high-speed running well when on the ball, which is a noteworthy attribute indeed for someone leading the line.
The 6 foot 4 striker is truly shaping into one of the most dangerous forwards in the game. He’s not the finished product but instead the raw and untapped potential of someone who could lead the line for an ambitious Man United team over the coming years, combining with the likes of Mbeumo and Cunha to create an iconic strike-force built for illustrious success.
Take, for example, Mbeumo in his current form, and contrast that with the winger’s first tentative steps into the Premier League theatre. His growth, as you might imagine, has been impressive.
Matches (starts)
35 (34)
38 (38)
Goals
4
20
Assists
7
7
Shots (on target)*
2.2 (0.6)
2.2 (1.1)
Big chances missed
9
9
Pass completion
69%
74%
Big chances created
4
17
Key passes*
1.0
1.8
Dribbles*
1.1
1.4
Tackles + interceptions*
1.1
1.7
Duels won*
3.8
4.7
As you can see, Mbeumo has grown into his skin, these past years working hard to become more accurate and more engaged, more creative too. So it is clear. So it could be for Sesko, who already has the ingredients to become a high-level goalscorer for Man United.
The point of this is that Sesko isn’t in his final form. This tall and intelligent and instinctive striker, who moves with confidence and strikes true, would only develop in a United team on the up, flanked by Cunha and Mbeumo.
And if those forwards, already settled into the English game, as we have discussed, help him find his feet in those early stages, Sesko could truly rise above and become a world-class marksman for Amorim’s project.
The Portuguese tactician, after all, demonstrated his aptitude with a talented forward in Gyokeres at Sporting Lisbon, turning the Sweden star into a world-beater.
Without question, signing Sesko could be a deal that is looked back on as a game-changer in the years to come.
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1 ByDan EmeryJul 20, 2025