Man Utd transfers: How could Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Bruno Fernandes fit into Ruben Amorim’s system next season? | Football News

Manchester United’s road back has begun.

For all the disappointment of last season’s 15th place finish and no trophies to soften the blow, there have been some early – albeit minor wins – off the pitch.

Matheus Cunha’s move from Wolves has been announced. But the forward is not the only attacking talent still keen for Ruben Amorim’s project. Bryan Mbeumo’s decision to pursue an Old Trafford move from Brentford – despite other elite clubs in the running – is a positive sign.

Captain Bruno Fernandes has turned down the temptation of a money-fuelled Saudi Arabia move that could have given United more money to rebuild the team. The project is far from being alive again, but it’s a start.

“Cunha and Mbeumo have Premier League experience, and are the right type,” said Gary Neville. But that is not the only reason those two have been categorised as the answer to United’s problems.

Putting the ball in the back of the net proved to be an issue for United last season. They ranked sixth for chances created but finished second bottom for converting shots into goals, while they were also fourth bottom for shot accuracy.

Overall, United failed to score in 15 Premier League matches last season – only relegated Southampton and Leicester managed more. Eleven of those matches were under Amorim.

They also had the second-worst Expected Goals underperformance record in the division, with the numbers saying they should have scored at least nine more goals than their final league tally of 44.

This is where Cunha and Mbeumo could help – if last season’s performances are anything to go by.

As United floundered in front of goal, Mbeumo was the league’s best overperformer in terms of xG. Using the same process as above, the Bees forward scored seven more goals than he should have done, with Cunha ranking third in the same category.

Cunha and Mbeumo could therefore bring that clinical edge that United are missing. But would they go straight into the team – and if so, where?

Will Cunha – not Bruno – be the key cog in Amorim’s team?

Amorim has repeatedly said he will not deviate from his way of playing via the 3-4-2-1 formation. The plus point for Cunha is that Vitor Pereira used the same system at Wolves in the second half of last season.

Cunha turned out in the ‘left No 10’ role in Pereira’s system and while the forward’s 15-goal league season saw him strike consistently across the campaign, it arguably hit top gear under Pereira.

Cunha scored in Pereira’s first two matches in charge from that position, while he then hit five goals across seven straight games between the start of February and April.

The issue with Cunha playing that role in United colours? Bruno Fernandes. He is the most common appearance maker in that role for Amorim.

The United captain ended the season a little bit deeper, actually playing as one of the two sitting midfielders, with Mason Mount taking that ‘No 10’ role ahead of him. It was that same set-up when United lost the Europa League final to Spurs.

But is it so simple that Fernandes will settle for the deeper role and Cunha sits in front of him? Firstly, there are doubts about the balance of United’s team, but there is a heavier dilemma at play.

At Sporting, that same No 10 role belonged to Pedro Goncalves, also known as Pote. He was not necessarily the star of the team but very much the attacking engine of it.

While players like Viktor Gyokeres took the headlines, Pote engineered a lot of the attacking combinations – he got 30 goals and 27 assists during the final 73 league games of Amorim’s Sporting era.

So that pocket of attacking space often belongs to the important cog of Amorim’s team. The United head coach will need to determine whether that position at Old Trafford belongs to Fernandes or Cunha.

What does Mbeumo pursuit mean for Amad?

Like Cunha, Mbeumo will be looking to turn his upward trajectory into some early form at Old Trafford.

Only Mohamed Salah won more points for his team from goals and assists than the Brentford forward. His goal contributions didn’t just put him among the league’s best in terms of numbers, but also as one of the division’s best at deciding games when it matters.

While Cunha is eyeing up that ‘left No 10’ role, Mbeumo will be targeting the spot on the right. Going back to his Sporting days, Amorim’s system always had a right-footed natural winger playing in that role – with Marcus Edwards and Francisco Trincao among those options in Lisbon.

At United, Mbeumo will want that position – but so will Amad Diallo. The 22-year-old has spent most of the Amorim era at United on the injury table but has briefly shown glimpses of being the shining light in this dark period for the club.

His goal and assist to win the Manchester derby at rivals City came from that ‘Right No 10’ position, as did his start in the Europa League final defeat, where he looked like the only player capable of breaking the deadlock against the Spurs defence.

So, two things could happen if Mbeumo completes his Old Trafford move. Either the load on young prodigy Amad is lessened and the two compete for the same role. Or Amad is shifted to right wing-back.

In Amorim’s United system, the wing-backs appear to be the most scrutinised area of the pitch, alongside the No 10s – but the pursuits of Cunha and Mbeumo are addressing those holes.

United’s inability to have recognised options in those positions was symbolised by the early acquisition of Patrick Dorgu in January, who may not be the finished article but at least fits the profile.

In an era where transitions from one pitch to the other and open spaces in wide areas are pretty common, efficient wing-backs are vital in any system like Amorim’s.

That has not just been evident in Pereira’s 3-4-2-1 system at Wolves, but also at Oliver Glasner’s Crystal Palace side. The industrious running of Daniel Munoz and Tyrick Mitchell was a key feature in the Eagles winning the FA Cup and reaching Europe, a level that United would even take right now.

Meanwhile United’s wing-back options, despite having a lot of running to do, are not among the league’s elite runners, with Amorim once citing a “lack of urgency to defend or attack the box” as a contributor to defeats.

But Amad has shown he can operate in that wing-back role. Amorim’s first four Premier League games at United saw the youngster start in that position – he got four assists in that run. After a period further forward, his next start at wing-back ended in a late hat-trick against Southampton.

And in another throwback to Sporting, Amorim even played 17-year-old Geovany Quenda in that right wing-back role during his final few months at Lisbon, highlighting how he can give huge running responsibility to young and attack-minded shoulders.

Cunha and Mbeumo’s arrivals – one finalised and the other being plotted – are the first steps in United’s blueprints in the bid to bounce back. They promise not only to change those two players’ lives – but the responsibilities of those around them.

But do United still need a striker?

Part of the reasoning for United going so many games without a goal was a lack of presence in the centre forward position.

Rasmus Hojlund ended the season with the fewest shots and second-fewest Expected Goals per 90 out of any recognised forward in the Premier League last season. He also had 14 starts that failed to include a shot, while Amorim feels back-up Joshua Zirkzee is better off as a No 10 option.

Both Cunha and Mbeumo share the same status when it comes to being a centre forward. They can do it if needed, but it’s not their strong suit.

Wolves boss Pereira confessed Cunha was not a striker last season, when he was forced to play in that role in moments when Jorgen Strand Larsen was struggling with fitness.

Mbeumo – meanwhile – has played centrally before for Brentford and Thomas Frank has highlighted the Cameroon international’s hold-up play as one of his strong suits. But his striker outings mainly came in a 3-5-2 set-up where he would work off Ivan Toney or Yoane Wissa, rather than be a focal point himself.

United’s pursuit of Liam Delap – who eventually chose Chelsea – demonstrated Amorim’s desire to improve the centre forward area. While the club have got off to a good start in the window, there is still work to do.