Cameroon: Eric Djemba-Djemba hails Bryan Mbeumo as Manchester United’s new spark

Bryan Mbeumo’s summer move to Manchester United continues to generate excitement, with former Cameroon international Eric Djemba-Djemba describing the transfer as “a very good thing” for both the player and the club.

The Ivorian-born striker, who switched his international allegiance to Cameroon, joined United on a five-year contract with an option for a further season after a standout campaign at Brentford.

His record of 70 goals and 51 assists in 242 appearances for the Bees convinced United to bring him to Old Trafford, where he is expected to play a key role in Erik ten Hag’s rebuilding project.

Djemba-Djemba, who represented Manchester United between 2003 and 2005, expressed his enthusiasm in an interview.

This transfer is a very good thing for Cameroonian football, for Manchester, and for the player. In my humble opinion, he’s set to do very good things at Manchester. He’s coming into an environment where everything is in place for his development and where he can add to his record of achievements, he said.

The former midfielder also noted his personal delight in seeing Mbeumo inherit the number 19 shirt, a jersey he once wore at Old Trafford.

He’s a very good player with a very nice left foot, and he can play in all areas of the attack. I think he’ll do Manchester a lot of good. The club is in the middle of a rebuild, and I’m convinced he’ll do the team a lot of good, since he’s part of the project, Djemba-Djemba added. I’m very happy for him, and he’s what the club’s attack was missing.

His optimism has been echoed by other notable figures in Cameroonian football.

Joël Matip, the former Liverpool defender, highlighted Mbeumo’s steady rise, stating: If you follow Mbeumo’s trajectory, he progresses every year. François Omam-Biyik has also voiced his approval of the deal, describing the 26-year-old as an asset both for Manchester United and African football.

Mbeumo arrives at Old Trafford after registering 20 goals and nine assists in 42 matches last season, performances that elevated his market value to €55 million according to Transfermarkt.

During his time at Brentford, he earned an annual salary of €2.8 million, a figure expected to increase significantly under his new deal with United.

Former United winger Quinton Fortune added further praise, placing Mbeumo among the top five strikers in the league right now.

With such endorsements, expectations for his debut are high as the Red Devils prepare to open their Premier League campaign against Arsenal.

For Manchester United supporters, the anticipation is not just about seeing a new signing in action, but about whether Mbeumo can deliver the attacking spark the club has been missing.