Following Manchester United’s 2-1 pre-season victory over West Ham, many fans were left wondering why the club’s major new signing, Bryan Mbeumo, was absent from the matchday squad. Manager Ruben Amorim has now clarified the situation.
Speaking in Chicago, Amorim revealed that the Cameroonian forward is being carefully managed as he works his way back to full match fitness. He confirmed that fans will have to wait a little longer to see him in action, stating, “we won’t be seeing Bryan Mbeumo play until the last match of the Premier League summer series.” He will miss the next game against Bournemouth but is expected to be fit to feature against Everton.
While Mbeumo’s debut is on hold, Amorim was full of praise for fellow new arrival Matheus Cunha. “I think he improves the team quite a lot because he can run deep, and with the ball with high tempo,” the manager said. “Last year we didn’t have that kind of player.”
Captain Bruno Fernandes also commented on how well the Brazilian has integrated. “Brazilians are very loud and happy. He’s a funny guy. He’s settled quickly. We need him at his best,” Fernandes noted.
Despite the victory, Amorim was balanced in his assessment of the team’s performance. “It’s not about the results, it’s about the performance,” he stated. “I think we did well for a while, we have a lot to improve.” He also gave specific praise to Rasmus Højlund and Kobbie Mainoo for their displays.
Fernandes, meanwhile, emphasized the importance of building a winning habit. “It’s good to win even a friendly,” he said. “We want to win every game to go into the season in a positive way.”