As part of Manchester United’s £200m+ shopping spree this summer, Bryan Mbeumo completed a move to Old Trafford to try and improve the situation within the final third.
The Red Devils only netted 44 league goals in 2024/25, with the Cameroonian scoring 20 in the Premier League alone last campaign – a tally which was 45% of the Red Devils’ total.
Whilst he cost a pretty penny, arriving in a £71m deal including add-ons, he does possess the top-flight experience needed to transform the side after last year’s dismal finish.
The 26-year-old has already hit the ground running for his new side, scoring twice in his opening four outings – including in the recent league clash against Burnley at the Theatre of Dreams.
If Mbeumo is to achieve further success during his spell at United, he will likely star alongside one talent who’s been a constant positive influence despite the slump over the last few years.
Bruno Fernandes’ time at Manchester United
Upon his big-money transfer from Sporting CP in the winter of 2020, no United supporter would’ve anticipated the phenomenal level of output produced by Bruno Fernandes.
The Portuguese international arrived as an unknown quantity to many, but he quickly showcased his talents, scoring 12 and registering eight assists in his first 22 outings for the club.
Since his debut campaign, the 30-year-old has gone from strength to strength at Old Trafford, now racking up a total of 99 goals in his 254 appearances for the Red Devils.
Bruno has since taken on the role of captaincy under various managers, highlighting the importance to the side and the faith shown in him to take the club back to their former glory.
Despite the failures under Amorim last campaign, the midfield still managed to thrive, notching 37 combined goals and assists – by far and away the highest tally of any player in the squad.
He continued to be a constant creative threat, extending his tally and remaining as the player with the most through balls completed in Europe since 2022/23 – with his tally higher than those of Kevin de Bruyne and Martin Odegaard.
There’s no denying he’s one of the best additions ever made by the recruitment team, with another player joining him in that department, given his own rise at the club.
The United star who’s been the best signing since Bruno
United have been known to conduct some questionable pieces of transfer business over the last couple of years, which has undoubtedly contributed to their demise.
The likes of Casemiro, Antony and Rasmus Hojlund all joined the Red Devils in deals worth £70m or over, but none of which have failed to make a consistent positive impression on the fanbase.
The latter two of the duo both departed the club in the closing stages of the transfer window, further showcasing the poor business conducted by the board over recent seasons.
However, the same can’t be said for defender Noussair Mazraoui, with the Moroccan international cementing himself as a key player since his move 12 months ago.
The Red Devils paid just £12.7m for his signature from Bayern Munich, making him one of the cheaper additions made by Erik ten Hag during his time in Manchester.
Such a move now appears to be a genius one, as the 27-year-old ended the 2024/25 campaign with 57 appearances across all competitions – the most of any player in the first-team squad.
He operated in various roles such as wing-back, full-back and centre-back, showcasing his versatility which made him such an important aspect of Amorim’s system.
Games played
37
Minutes played
2848
Pass accuracy
86%
Dribbles completed
60%
Tackles made
2.2
Tackle success rate
60%
Cross success rate
26%
Duels won
6.8
Mazraoui has already earned himself huge admirers behind the scenes at United, with multiple insiders claiming that the former Ajax star is the best signing made by the club in many years.
His underlying stats in 2024/25 further highlight his impressive start to life in England, leading to journalist Umir Irfan labelling the full-back as “incredible”.
The Moroccan won 2.2 tackles per 90 last campaign, winning 60% of the dispossession attempts he entered – subsequently showcasing his tremendous ability out of possession.
He also thrived with the ball at his feet, completing 86% of the passes he attempted, whilst also completing 60% of his dribbles, which allows him to end the year with two assists despite his defensive role.
£12.7m for a player of Mazraoui’s quality is a tremendous piece of business – especially when taking into account the failures of the players before him who accrued mammoth sums of money.
Should he carry on at such a level in 2025/26, there’s no reason as to why he can’t be as important as Bruno in the club’s hunt for success in the near future.
