Secret weapon in Bryan Mbeumo transfer tells us something about Manchester United

As soon as Thomas Frank was linked with the Tottenham job, reports that he could look to take some of his Brentford players with him to north London started to emerge.

Manchester United's interest in Bryan Mbeumo had been confirmed prior to Frank's arrival at Spurs. There was no real sense that United would find themselves in a battle to sign Mbeumo should they agree upon a fee with Brentford, but Frank's move to a Champions League club threatened to derail United's plans.

United remain optimistic of completing a deal for the Cameroon international, having tabled a second bid in excess of £60million.

The Manchester Evening News reported earlier this week that one of Mbeumo's close relatives is a United fan, which is believed to have further emboldened United in their pursuit of the Brentford forward.

Ruben Amorim's side have just finished 15th in the Premier League and will go without European football next season, but the lure of Manchester United is still there for all to see.

Take away the history and stature of a club like United and it's easy to see why a player would find Spurs a move attractive option next season. Both teams endured a miserable 2024/25 season, finishing 15th and 17th respectively.

Both are looking to bounce back under a new manager (or relatively new, in United's case), yet it is Spurs who can offer Champions League football next season while United's campaign will be restricted to domestic matters.

But of course, it is impossible to take away the history and glamour of United. Last season was their lowest ebb of the Premier League era, and yet still they remain an attractive option.

United boast one of the biggest fanbases in the world and so it's no surprise to hear of a United-supporting