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Manchester United managed to push through Bryan Mbeumo’s £71million move to Old Trafford from Brentford just in time for the Cameroon star to join their US tour – but the deal will benefit neighbours Manchester City to the tune of £6.5m.
Brentford signed Mbeumo in 2019 for a then club record £5.8m from French club Troyes who are owned by the City Football Group.
A 10 per cent sell-on fee inserted in the deal means that the CFG will bank a significant fee from his transfer to United.
United won’t be too concerned after landing one of their main summer targets, even though it required weeks of haggling with Brentford who would rather have sold the player to Tottenham.
Mbeumo made it clear that he was only interested in joining the club he supported as a boy, and he was delighted to see the deal get over the line so he could be on the plane to Chicago on Tuesday.
‘From the start, I wanted to join this massive club,’ he said in his first interview. ‘Now I’m here, I’m just really happy. For me, it’s the biggest club in the world. The fans are crazy, the stadium is amazing, and every player wants to play here.’
Man United completed the signing of Bryan Mbeumo from Brentford for £71m on Monday
Mbeumo was signed in time to join up with United on their pre-season tour of the USA
The deal will also benefit United's arch rivals City to the tune of £6.5m thanks to a sell on clause given Mbeumo used to play for Troyes, who are owned by the City Football Group
Red hot in Chicago
United are on alert for a heatwave in Chicago that could made conditions extremely uncomfortable for Ruben Amorim and his players in the first few days of training.
After a relatively mild start to the week, United landed in warmer weather here on Tuesday night and Confidential understands that is only going to intensify on Wednesday and Thursday.
The temperature is expected to top 90 degrees, but increased humidity will push that to as much as 115 degrees on the heat index, according to the National Weather Service.
United are said to be aware of the spike and will factor it into the players’ water breaks and nutrition plans.
Ruben Amorim’s side face Bournemouth here next week and the intense heat is unlikely to relent when United play their opening game against West Ham in New Jersey on Saturday and sign off against Everton in Atlanta.
United are on alert for a heatwave in Chicago that could made conditions very uncomfortable
Better late than never
There were rumours that United had been stuck on the tarmac for two hours at Manchester Airport on Tuesday before their charter jet was cleared for take-off to Chicago.
In fact, the delay was half that and they were able to make up time so their arrival at O’Hare International was only delayed by 40 minutes as they touched down in the Windy City.
Ruben Amorim and his players were given a police escort to the Waldorf Astoria hotel at the heart of the Magnificent Mile district of upmarket restaurants and designer stores, arriving just before 8.30pm local time.
The players went straight into the dining room for dinner, passing by the small gathering of fans who had waited behind police barriers to welcome them.
Given that the six-hour time difference meant it was 2.30am in the UK, it’s safe to assume the United squad were in bed in their luxury suites not long after that.
United flew on their own charter jet to the US, but their flight was delayed for two hours
Stars get a little R&R
There won’t be too much downtime as United step up their pre-season preparations in the US, but the hotel has done its best to entertain the players by converting a banquet hall into a recreation room.
Complete with dart board, table tennis table and a couple of basketball hoops, it will give the players something to do when they are not training for Saturday’s opening game in the Premier League Summer Series against West Ham in New Jersey.
The hotel has also adapted a lounge so the club’s leadership group have a meeting room to discuss transfer business on tour.
Having signed Matheus Cunha – who made the trip despite becoming a father for the second time on Monday – and Bryan Mbeumo, a striker is next on United’s shopping list this summer with Amorim keen to sign one with Premier League experience.
The squad will be based in Chicago until Friday – conducting their pre-match press conference for the West Ham game here even though it takes place 800 miles away – before returning to camp ahead of next week’s second game against Bournemouth at Soldier Field.
United's hotel in Chicago is well stocked and even has a meeting room for the club's leadership
Tour kicks off in style
United will officially kick off their US tour on Wednesday by lighting up Niagara Falls on both the American and Canadian sides in their club colours.
The spectacle will be formally approved by the Governor of Niagara, with United officials also scheduled to meet the mayor and officials from Niagara Falls Park.
The event will also involve a boat trip behind the falls and a firework display.
United in the zone
Ineos’ mantra has been ‘football first’ and that is certainly evident in the way United have planned this summer’s US tour.
When the club travelled Stateside in the last two years, they played more games in more venues and changed time zones on numerous occasions.
The players were said to be particularly unhappy with a flying visit to Houston to play Real Madrid in 2023 before returning to their San Diego camp, and then heading east again to face Borussia Dortmund in Las Vegas.
This year, United only have three games and there is only a one-hour time difference between their base in Chicago – where they also play Bournemouth – and New Jersey and Atlanta where Ruben Amorim’s side face West Ham and Everton.
Ineos’ ‘football first’ mantra is evident in the way United have planned this summer’s US tour
Hard work for Wes
United's players will have to work hard on tour but few, it seems, will work harder than Wes Brown even though he last played for the club 14 years ago.
A number of United ambassadors used to travel with the club in pre-season, but the cost-cutting under Sir Jim Ratcliffe means they are now paid on an appearance basis and Brown will be left to fly the flag in the US.
The former United defender kicks off his tour with a Legend Q&A night with the Niagara and Toronto supporters’ clubs on Wednesday. Then, on Friday morning, he will be in the Bronx to give out prizes and coaching tips to under-privileged kids at a Street Soccer USA tournament.
Two more legend nights follow in New York and New Jersey on Friday and Saturday before Brown heads to Illinois to take part in a community coaching clinic which is part of a collaboration with the NFL’s Chicago Bears.
On Monday, the 45-year-old will be at another street soccer tournament in Chicago before turning his hand to baseball in the evening and throwing the first pitch before the Chicago White Sox face the Philadelphia Phillies.
Another coaching clinic with the NBA’s Chicago Bulls is followed by one last legend night before Brown can put his feet up.
United ambassador Wes Brown has an extremely busy schedule coming up over the next week
There’s more to Harry’s game
The India cricket team visited Carrington on Sunday in an event organised by sponsors adidas
United's stars turned their hand to cricket when the India team visited Carrington on Sunday, and Confidential learns that Harry Maguire and Tom Heaton were most at home with a bat.
The get-together was organised by sponsors adidas ahead of the Fourth Test at Old Trafford this week, with the cricketers receiving United kits with their names on the back and the footballers getting a personalised India shirt each.
The United players faced a series of deliveries from Shubman Gill’s team in the indoor facilities before goalkeeper Heaton and wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant exchanged gloves and the latter beat his counterpart with a fine shot.
United were fresh back from Stockholm, where they had played out a goalless draw with Leeds on Saturday, and had a couple more days’ training before flying to Chicago on Tuesday.
