Relaxing in the chic Waldorf Astoria Hotel on the beautiful Mile of Chicago in his new training kit, Bryan Mbeumo looks every centimeter a player in Manchester United.
He still has to make his debut for the club, but that could come this weekend in the last match of United's Us Tour against Everton in Atlanta.
In the meantime, Mbeumo continues to catch up in its preparation for the season, often working with the younger players of United and concentrate on sprint work in the impressive training facility of Chicago Fire, a few kilometers from the city center of United.
There were times these summer times when, however, a place in Ruben Amorim's team seemed far from guaranteed to Mbeumo. When United and Brentford have worn for weeks in succession about his transfer costs, and his old boss Thomas Frank tried to sign him for Tottenham.
The fan of the Boyhood United made it clear that there was only one club he wanted, and remained in contact with his camera teammate Andre Onana, the United goalkeeper.
A deal with a value of a total of £ 71 million was eventually beaten, but United accused Brentford from trying to push Mbeumo to Spurshen, and Brentford blamed United for trying to make them Lowball with two failed opening offers.
All the while, the 25-year-old held his cool vacation and then asked to adhere to gym work on his return to the West-London club, which explains why he is still lagging behind his fitness program.
“I trust my people and I was convinced that it would happen,” says Mbeumo. 'I always trust my people around me. The transfer window can be long, it can be short, so you are patient and just try to keep thinking positively about things.
'I was clear on my vacation, so I just wanted to think about mentally and physical rest. If it happened, it would happen.
“I think I'm someone who loves a challenge. There is a very good project in Manchester and I wanted to be part of it.
'You want to play in the biggest stages in the world and Old Trafford is one of them. So to play there every two weeks is just big.
'Of course I spoke with a few other managers because I wanted to hear their projects, but the Manchester United One was very good for me.
“I spoke with Ruben. It was a very friendly conversation and a constructive one. He explained his project to me what he wanted to do, and I really clicked on that.
“He said:” We are people who like to win and we want to be the best team “. That is of course what we will try to do. '
Just like the other large summer drawing of United, Matheus Cunha, Matheus Cunha, met Mbeumo satisfied Amorim's criteria to have played in the Premier League. In the past three seasons, only Erling Haaland, Mo Salah Alexander Isak and Ollie Watkins have scored more competition goals than Mbeumo, an achievement that is all the more impressive, because it has mainly played the right wing and beats their weight for a Brentford side.
He is ready to play a similar role as one of the two no. 10s in the 3-4-2-1 system of Amorim, but is ready to play everywhere as a striker if necessary, since United weigh a new step to the transfer market for a center-forward.
“I think you should be adjustable in football now and play in a few other positions than what you would say,” he adds.
'Of course I mainly played as a winger in Brentford, but I don't have a specific position where I can do best. With Brentford I also played as a no. 10 in the bag or even as a no. 9. I can play all those positions. Whatever position the Gaffer wants to release, I will play there.
'I always want to be better than yesterday. I am very demanding from myself and I always try to do the best. I also don't like to lay myself limits. '
Playing football is also by no means the limit of the possibilities of Mbeumo. A lot is made of his love for chess and the piano.
Strange for a man who is comfortable for tens of thousands of fans in a stadium and a global TV audience, he is shy to sit down and play the piano, even for a few good friends.
“It's funny, but it's so different,” he says. 'The thing is that I don't really like to play for people. Even when I play at home for a few friends, I don't exactly vibrate, but it's 'Oh guys, this is a bit difficult for me'.
'The piano is nothing really linked to football. It just lets me take time for me and relax myself in my spare time. '
Mbeumo also does not show off with its chess skills and plays anonymous online. “I have a username,” he says. 'You choose a nickname and just play online against random people, and I use my own chessboard against them. I'm not very good. But if you know the assessment, I am 800 on Chess.com.
“There was a period in which I was really in it. I watched videos on YouTube and did training in the app. I looked at Queen's Gambit, it was really good. I have not yet viewed the Magnus Carlson -thing (documentary). Maybe I should do that.
'I was told that Josh (Zirkzee) is playing, so I may have to play against him and bring in the chessboard.
“I think it's really good even for the brain. You can develop new skills. It is clear that you usually do football every day, so sometimes you don't have time to develop about other skills. I like creativity and such.
'But chess, even if it is not physical, there is a lot of thought. If you play football, you also have to think. If you play chess, you can see some movements ahead because it is a strategy game. In football you also have your strategy so that you can link them together. '
After having ended the stalemate with Brentford, Amorim hopes that it is only a matter of time before he can release Mbeumo on the opponents of United.