Manchester United were not merely outscored by 15 other clubs in the Premier League last season. They were outscored – as a team, and amassing the combined efforts of the 31 players who took the field in the division for them, plus the two opponents who donated own goals – by a trio who could have formed their new front three.
United got 44 goals. Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Liam Delap got 47 between them. Cunha has already joined United. Delap definitely won’t; they always thought Chelsea was a likelier destination and so it proved. But if the much-coveted Delap’s preference was for Stamford Bridge, Mbeumo, who has a similarly large group of admirers, has his heart set on Old Trafford. A second bid of around £60m has been made. He is likely to join Cunha in a forward line Ruben Amorim has acquired more than inherited.
