Manchester United are close to signing Brentford star Bryan Mbeumo in a major transfer move, but there’s already a catch. The timing of the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025 could throw a serious wrench into their plans.
Mbeumo, who scored 20 league goals last season, is a key player for Cameroon and is expected to lead their attack at the tournament. AFCON kicks off on December 21 and ends January 18, right in the middle of the Premier League’s busiest time of year.
If Mbeumo makes Cameroon’s final squad and they advance past the group stage, he could miss up to six matches for United, including big games like Aston Villa, Newcastle, Wolves, Leeds, Burnley, and even the Manchester Derby against City. That would be a massive blow, especially for a club trying to recover from one of its worst goal-scoring seasons in decades.
New manager Ruben Amorim sees Mbeumo as central to the team’s rebuild, and the player is reportedly eager to join United, turning down interest from Tottenham. United’s first bid, around £45 million plus add-ons, was rejected, with Brentford asking for closer to £60 million.
But it’s not just about the money. The scheduling is now a major factor. Cameroon’s group-stage games fall on December 24, 28, and 31, and if they go deep in the tournament, Mbeumo could be away for nearly a full month.
And he’s not alone, United may also lose Andre Onana, Amad Diallo, and Noussair Mazraoui to AFCON duty. For a squad already under pressure, that’s a lot of missing firepower during a critical part of the season.
