Former Manchester United striker Louis Saha has made a bold declaration, claiming the Red Devils secured the 'signing of the season' with their £65m capture of Bryan Mbeumo from Brentford.
Saha's Verdict on Summer Signings
In an exclusive interview with Pundit Arena, Saha analysed the Premier League's summer transfer business and concluded that Mbeumo's impact at Old Trafford has been 'tremendous'. The Frenchman placed the United winger ahead of Liverpool's Hugo Ekitike and Newcastle United's Nick Woltemade in his personal rankings.
'For me, the best signing is between Hugo Ekitike and Bryan Mbeumo,' Saha revealed. 'I think Woltemade has been brilliant too, I love him. I think those three have been the standout players so far, but I think that Mbeumo has probably been the very best of the three.'
The statistics support Saha's assessment. Since his summer move, Mbeumo has scored six goals in 13 appearances for Manchester United, matching the tally of both Ekitike at Liverpool and Woltemade at Newcastle.
Context Makes Mbeumo's Impact More Impressive
Saha emphasised that Mbeumo's achievements are particularly noteworthy given the challenging circumstances at Old Trafford. While Ekitike joined defending champions Liverpool and Woltemade arrived at Champions League participants Newcastle, Mbeumo entered a club in transition under new manager Ruben Amorim.
'They both have their problems, of course, but I think United were in the toughest place at the start of the season,' Saha explained. 'I've seen United struggle, and how hard it was for Mbeumo, and he's done brilliantly to raise standards at the club and keep his own standards up.'
The former United forward praised Mbeumo's rapid integration into the squad, noting: 'He's leading the way for Manchester United at the moment. He's been the most efficient, he's settled in the best with the team. The amount of involvement he has in the team is tremendous already. He has won individual awards already.'
United's Broader Transfer Business Assessed
Manchester United invested just over £200m during the summer window, bringing in Benjamin Sesko, Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Senne Lammens to bolster Amorim's squad.
Saha offered insights on United's other new arrivals, suggesting Cunha shows promise despite not matching Mbeumo's goal output. 'Cunha isn't doing badly, but he's not scored as much. You can see though that he has the confidence, drive, energy and technique to make an impact over the coming months. There's potential there.'
The former striker expressed sympathy for Sesko's challenging start, noting: 'Sesko has had the toughest start, and it's a hard position to adjust to as a young No. 9. It's a lot of responsibility to take on, to lead the line in a new system with new teammates.'
By selecting Mbeumo as his standout signing, Saha overlooked other notable Premier League arrivals including Granit Xhaka at Sunderland, Estevao Willian at Chelsea and Martin Zubimendi at Arsenal.
Mixed Fortunes for United Despite Mbeumo's Form
Mbeumo's impressive performances helped Manchester United enjoy an unbeaten run between the October and November international breaks, with notable victories against Liverpool and Brighton during that period.
However, the Red Devils suffered a setback with a 1-0 defeat to ten-man Everton at Old Trafford on Monday, handing David Moyes his first ever win against United at their home ground.
Despite this disappointment, Amorim's side remain just three points outside the top-four places as they chase Champions League qualification. United, currently tenth in the Premier League, will aim to return to winning ways when they face Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on Sunday.
The broader Premier League context sees Liverpool's £79m signing Hugo Ekitike providing the main bright spot in a disappointing title defence, while Newcastle's club-record £69m acquisition Nick Woltemade has similarly netted six goals since arriving from Stuttgart.
As the season approaches its midway point, Saha's endorsement highlights how Mbeumo has emerged as arguably the most successful Premier League signing despite United's ongoing transitional phase under their new manager.
