THE BIG DEBATE: Manchester United were in the driving seat to sign Bryan Mbeumo but former Brentford boss Thomas Frank now wants to convince the forward to join him at Tottenham
After a stellar season in the Premier League, Bryan Mbeumo finds himself at the centre of a transfer tug-of-war between Manchester United and Tottenham this summer.
The Brentford talisman, 25, is believed to have his heart set on a move to Old Trafford despite the Red Devils' calamitous 2024-25 campaign. But developments at Spurs, where Thomas Frank has been appointed as the club's new manager, has thrown a spanner into the works.
Mirror Football revealed prior to the weekend that Tottenham had launched a huge bid to try and gazump their rivals and, crucially, can offer the Cameroon star Champions League football.
With Spurs pushing to beat United to a deal, Mbeumo now has plenty to ponder. So we asked the Mirror Football team what he should do next...
Jeremy Cross
Bryan Mbeumo has a big decision to make. But whatever he chooses, it will see him jump from the frying pan into the fire.
He can either join the madhouse that is Manchester United and have at least one season without European football, or go to Tottenham, play in Europe, but accept he is now part of a club which is one of the biggest under-achievers of modern times.
His heart might tell him United will get back to the big time, but his head will be saying Spurs is the safest option. But wherever he ends up, Mbeumo will face the biggest challenge of his career.
Andy Dunn
It is hard for a lot of people to stomach but for all its recent troubles, Manchester United is still a club with a truly special allure.
It is still a club with a remarkable domestic and global fanbase, it is still a club that could fill a 100,000-seater stadium week in, week out, it is still a club with a wonderfully storied past. In short, it is still an iconic footballing institution. If and when the club becomes a major Premier League force again, it will be the biggest story in town and that is why Mbeumo should fancy the move to Old Trafford ahead of the move to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
There are several obvious reasons why Spurs is an attractive proposition but the idea of being part of an exciting United rebuild should be an enticing one. And anyhow, the importance of what will surely turn out to be a Champions League struggle for Spurs is probably overstated.
The talk is that Mbeumo’s heart tells him United … and he should go with his heart.
John Cross
Bryan Mbeumo should go to Tottenham. The Brentford forward is a serious player and moving to Tottenham, with his old boss Thomas Frank, would propel him to another level into the Champions League.
In many ways I admire his ambition and why he wants to move to Manchester United. They are still such a big club with amazing tradition and great pulling power. To be part of a team - him on one side with Matheus Cunha on the other - could be really special if they suddenly reignite a sleeping giant. But what a gamble.
And I refuse to believe it’s just about money and United offering more. Players earn huge wages and United are clearly trying to sell the dream. But Tottenham can offer European football.
Mbeumo is a terrific player One former Premier League manager, who has scouted and discovered countless players, is convinced he is elite level and even likened him to Mo Salah. That good.
His pace, skill, control and stats make him a huge star. He must choose well - because he has got the lot.
Chris McKenna
Bryan Mbeumo should be a man of his word. If he’s told Manchester United he wants to join them then he should go through with that.
What’s changed in the last few weeks? OK his boss at Brentford has joined Tottenham but are Tottenham suddenly in a different position? He knew they had Champions League football weeks ago and he knew United didn’t. If he told United he was sold on their project then not enough has changed since then for him to turn on his heels.
But that still needs United to pay up the money and if they don’t then the player will have to make a choice.
Jurgen Klopp once said he wanted players to push the train rather than ones who just want to jump on it. Mbeumo now has a decision to make which player he wants to be as United look to rebuild.
Daniel Marsh
Bryan Mbeumo should absolutely stick to his guns if Manchester United is the dream ticket.
Tottenham can offer Champions League football and, of course, the lure of working with Thomas Frank again. But as a player approaching his peak years the challenge of restoring an institution like Manchester United to their former glory is surely just as appealing.
The biggest factor here is that United are yet to strike a deal. Given they were leading a one-horse race before Frank swapped Brentford for Spurs, the onus is on them to make this happen.
Forget about what Mbeumo should do next, United have to get this done if they are serious about rebuilding; that's how highly I rate Mbeumo.
Tom Victor
If I were in Bryan Mbeumo’s position, I might find myself wondering why Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur represent the only offers seemingly on the table. Only three players scored more Premier League goals than the Cameroonian last season, and yet his options appear to involve either staying put or moving to a club which finished several spots below his Brentford side this season.
Mbeumo will be 26 when the new season begins. His peak years are approaching, but he can’t parlay that 20-goal season into more of a sure thing when it comes to locking in sustained Champions League football - with his two suitors mustering a combined two knockout ties in the competition this decade.
Of the two options, Tottenham looks to be the slightly better fit. A reunion with Thomas Frank speaks for itself, while a first crack at Champions League football for a player still playing second-tier football as recently as 2021 may well be an opportunity he can’t resist.
Yes, the potential upside at Old Trafford may feel greater, but how many others have thought the same in recent years only to find themselves lamenting wasted seasons. Spurs feels like the best option, even if Mbeumo might wonder why there isn’t something even better available to him.
Daniel Orme
It’s certainly a tricky decision for Mbeumo. It basically boils down to money or European football so it depends on what the Brentford forward wants from his career.
Given the investment that the Red Devils are making this summer, it might not actually be too long before they return to the Champions League and given that Old Trafford is his preferred option, it might make more sense to go there - but it is a big gamble.
However, with Thomas Frank being appointed by Spurs, he will know exactly how to make a success of him North London. And should he manage to replicate the form he has shown over recent seasons in Brentford, there is no reason why Mbeumo can’t play in the Champions League over the coming seasons with Spurs.
And while it might not have been in his thinking yet, a move to North London means he will not have to uproot anything. So as it stands, Spurs would potentially be the better option.