Man Utd files: Mbeumo set for Brentford backlash, Mainoo’s new bromance and how travel chaos forced stars to take Ubers
CHRISTIAN ERIKSEN was booed back at Brentford in United colours for having the temerity to join England’s biggest club three years ago.
And Bryan Mbeumo can expect similar treatment after the rancour around his transfer.
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United felt Brentford attempted to railroad Mbeumo into joining Tottenham or Newcastle United, convinced that he would be on a lower wage that would then drive up his transfer fee. Mbeumo joined United for £65, rising to £71m.
When Brentford finally relented and sold the AWOL Yoane Wissa to Newcastle on deadline day, it was for £50m plus £5m in add-ons.
Wissa is an actual striker and scored as many goals as Mbeumo last season, which undermined Brentford’s belief that they could have recouped more from Spurs or Newcastle for Mbeumo.
Xavi Simons and Nick Woltemade, Tottenham and Newcastle’s most expensive summer signings, were not as costly as Mbeumo.
The press room at the Community Stadium is so tight you tend to literally rub shoulders with colleagues. Staff from United and Brentford may keep their distance.
MAIN ATTRACTION
KOBBIE MAINOO is out of the United side and one of his closest teammates, Alejandro Garnacho, was out in the cold before he left last month.
But Mainoo has a new best pal in Leny Yoro.
Mainoo and Yoro have grown close since the latter joined United from Lille last summer.
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Mainoo started learning Spanish while he was out two years ago as Garnacho and Amad are both fluent in the language.
Garnacho remains tight with Amad – the pair are represented by the same agent – as they demonstrated with last week’s infamous Instagram Story that Amad received online abuse for.
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Mainoo is something of an outlier in that he has gravitated towards foreign teammates.
Although Yoro spoke impeccable English at the time of his £59million transfer.
PORT OF CALL
PORTUGUESE pair Bruno Fernandes and Diogo Dalot both attended the Lewis Capaldi concert at Co-Op Live after last week’s victory over Chelsea.
Members of the Fernandes family had flown over from Portugal for the occasion.
Or to provide childcare for his two children.
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CARR INSURANCE
THE NEW home matchday schedule for United players to report at Carrington before boarding a bus for Old Trafford caused confusion for some of the younger squad members last month.
A handful of youngsters assumed the team coach would ferry them back to the training complex after the game, where they had naively left their vehicles.
Senior players are usually dropped off at Carrington by a spouse or confidant and so their vehicle is in place at the stadium post-match.
Some stranded junior members of the squad had to get Ubers to the training base after a game to be reunited with their vehicles.
Erik ten Hag scrapped United’s pre-match stays at The Lowry Hotel in 2022 and the squad would arrive four hours before kick-off for home games.
Ruben Amorim has opted to delay United’s travel time and they now tend to get to their ground an hour-and-a-half before kick-off.
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HARDY ABLE
UNITED are in the process of signing teenage goalkeeper Charlie Hardy from Derby County.
Hardy, 16, has played five times for England Under 16s and is going through formalities to complete a move to United.
He was named on the bench against United U18s when he was only 14 last year and made his debut for Derby U18s at the age of 15.
As a category one scholar, Hardy can move to another English club at any time over the course of the season.
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PELL RINGER
MANUEL PELLEGRINI thinks Antony just needed an arm put around him and a club that makes him feel important.
United reject Antony, 25, has been reborn at Real Betis after a miserable two years at Old Trafford.
The Brazil winger sparkled after joining Betis on loan in January and made the move permanent after long talks brought a deadline-day switch for up to £21.6m.
United included a 50 per cent sell-on clause in the deal for Antony, who followed a classy assist with a late goal to secure a 2-2 draw in Wednesday’s Europa League opener against Nottingham Forest.
Before the game, Betis boss Pellegrini, 72, said: “I try to make them feel the best so that they can also give me their best.”
Antony is much better suited to La Liga, where he is more comfortable with the ball at his feet and not so physically pressed.
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