Can Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha heal the striker curse at Manchester United?
- Anweshan Ghosh
- Jul 22
- 3 min read
Statistically, Manchester United recorded their worst performance ever in a Premier League campaign, finishing 15th in the points table with only 44 goals scored and an average of 1.15 goals per game.
Man United underperformed their xG (expected goals) of 53.5, and out of the 44 goals they scored, only 20 were from open play. Therefore, the club had made it a priority to find a solution to solve this goal-scoring crisis and strengthen their attack this summer.
As a result, the Red Devils have signed Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha for a combined fee of £127.5 million as a desperate measure to deal with their striker problem.
Both the new signings surely add a lot of proven quality up front, but Man Utd still may need the presence of a lethal no. 9 up front as well. Mbeumo and Cunha like to play in a free no. 10 role, and therefore, a lethal no. 9, who can combine with them, would be icing on the cake for United.
Rasmus Højlund and Joshua Zirkzee have both failed to make an impact, managing only 17 goals combined in all competitions last season. As a result, United appeared to be in desperate search of new attackers.
However, now, with the addition of quality signings like Cunha and Mbeumo, United's existing two strikers might get enough support up front, which could help them to improve their form and numbers as well.
However, whether the two forwards will get an opportunity to redeem themselves or not remains very uncertain, as Manchester United are reported to be pushing for a proper No. 9 signing, with reports of their interest in Benjamin Sesko now being the hot topic in the transfer market.
Mbeumo and Cunha could reignite the spark in the struggling Rasmus Højlund, who remains "positive" of redeeming himself at Manchester United
Rasmus Højlund’s disastrous campaign up front for Manchester United led to a lot of speculation regarding his future at the club, with many fans and pundits calling out the 22-year-old and urging the United management to find a new striker.
However, while taking a deeper dive into his subpar campaign, we could clearly see that the Dane scored 4 goals out of a total xG of 5 in the Premier League, which clearly shows a lack on the midfield's part as well, who also failed in providing support to Højlund by creating enough chances for him last season.
With the new signings – Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha – Manchester United have pulled in two proven attacking threats. This addition would not only improve Man Utd’s overall attacking prowess but also offer more quality service to their No. 9, whether it's in the form of Højlund, Zirkzee or even a newly signed striker.
The 13-time Premier League champions had paid a massive £72 million for Højlund for the huge potential that he had shown during his stint at Atalanta. While that potential seems to have disappeared since his arrival at Old Trafford, the 22-year-old still has the advantage of youth and sharpness and has even remained positive, despite the arrival of fresh competition, which could be key to a potential turnaround for him.
This season would definitely be a “do or die” situation for Højlund, as if he gets an opportunity to finally prove himself as a striker "good enough" to play for Manchester United, it will surely be the last one.
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