Bryan Mbeumo appears agitated. He is sitting on a sofa in Manchester United’s plush new Carrington training complex. While young forward JJ Gabriel is lying flat on his back outside, basking in some rare Manchester sunshine, the Cameroon international doesn’t seem quite so at peace.
“I had a good start, I would say. But every year in my career I have always come back better than I was before. Every season I want to improve. If it hasn’t been enough, it can only be better. I always wanted more, even if it was going really well. I always tried to beat records.
“I’m still happy because obviously it’s been a top season, especially collectively, so I think with hard work, it can only get better.”
Mbeumo’s arrival from Brentford is regarded as a rare transfer success story at United, following numerous mistakes and hundreds of millions wasted on ill-fitting stars who came before.
Nine league goals, including at Anfield, the Emirates, and a fine finish against Manchester City, is a decent return for a first term in United’s unrelenting spotlight.
The 26-year-old has formed partnerships with Matheus Cunha and Amad Diallo to devastating effect, provided an outlet for Bruno Fernandes he doesn’t often get, while offering versatility that is every manager’s dream.
No goals since early February, however, explains the agitation. Mbeumo is not about to waste the opportunity that finally came his way.
‘Chess with Luke Shaw helps me trap opponents’
Mbeumo can play the piano, and rather than turn to computer games to unwind, he also finds solace, and some footballing inspiration, in the black and white of a chess board.
“I have got Luke [Shaw] into it, actually,” Mbeumo says, smiling for the first time. “He is actually good. I think we’ve got the same ranking in the game and it’s really exciting to play against him.
“It can be useful in football because when you move a chess piece, you create something for your opponent to react to. In football it is a bit the same. When you have got the ball, when you make a pass, you tell the opponent to do something, maybe open a space, or get them trapped in a position and it’s a bit advantageous.”
The determination of this quiet, unassuming forward from rural Burgundy to succeed is reflected in how long he had to wait for a shot at Champions League football at a club like United.
After six seasons at Brentford, most assumed that the chance of a move to a top team was dwindling.
In three previous Premier League seasons, Mbeumo didn’t even reach double figures for goals, before 20 last term alerted a host of suitors to this late bloomer.
His early form has helped convince Ineos and the United hierarchy that a policy of preferring options with Premier League experience is the way forward this summer.
“I think six years at Brentford was really, really important for me,” Mbeumo says. “To grow as a player, and as a person as well. I can only be thankful for everything to them.
“I’ve been working to that point [joining United] all my life. I knew something like this could happen to me. I added my own chef, personal trainers, everything like this to make sure my body was good.
“Nobody can really know how it is to play for Manchester United, unless you play there. It is such a big club with big demands. But I had this chance to spend a few years in the Premier League before, so it was easier.”
‘A lot of people would like Carrick to stay’
The focus now turns to who will be manager next season, when fans assume the squad will finally be good enough to at least compete for the Premier League title again.
With third place all but secured, Michael Carrick is the frontrunner – a popular move with every player you speak to around Carrington. The future of skipper Fernandes is also up in the air – two key elements in Mbeumo’s strategy to reach greater heights next season.
Read more on Man Utd
Transfers: Man Utd’s £100m cash injection – and the 13 players on their radar
“He [Fernandes] is one of the first guys I met here. Really smiley, happy, welcoming. He said to me that he was happy I had joined which is a big praise, knowing what he achieved in this club. He is a great captain, even if sometimes he likes to moan!
“I work a lot with the Trav [coach Travis Binnion], the video analysis team, but obviously sometimes with [assistant manager] Steve [Holland] and the gaffer.
“It’s a good staff. They’ve done really well. A lot of people would like him [Carrick] to stay, but obviously that’s not my decision.”
