While Manchester United continues their pursuit of Bryan Mbeumo, here is the story of how Brentford received a transfer for the Cameroon International in 2019
It is not easy to get a deal for Bryan Mbeumo over the line – just ask the technical director Lee Dykes of Brentford. The Cameroon Star stays at the top of the Manchester United wish list, while Ruben Amorim strives to set up his forward line after a terrible season in Old Trafford.
United has seen various bids, including an offer of £ 60 million, rejected, but remain hopeful to get their husbands because they have already received Matheus Cunha from Wolves. Brentford signed Mbeumo of the French Zijtroyes in 2019, although they were strict to the striker far from simple. It was a big moment for Dykes, who recently joined EFL -side Bury.
“I felt great pressure because I walked into a position where I tried to continue a part of the good work that had already been done,” he told the Bees website in December 2023.
“When I entered Brentford, I would never have spent a lot of money. I had always worked at League One and League Two level.
“The most I had spent £ 50,000 was up to a player, and then six weeks later we pay € 5 million for Bryan Mbeumo. So you start to think clearly:” Wow, this is a lot of money. ” But in the end it's just different money, the same process. “
Dykes, co-director of Voetbal Rasmus Ankersen and head coach Thomas Frank made a Whistlestop trip to France in an attempt to complete a deal Mbeumo, only for those first conversations to come to nothing.
“We believed that there was a possibility to sign Bryan,” said Dykes. “We had cleverly produced that information because we were told that he would not entertain the championship.
“It soon became clear that we had to get in and out of France in one day in a day, because Thomas (Frank) had his training obligations because it almost started the season.
“Where the meeting would take place, there was no airport closed enough that we could find from London or a route to do in one day, so we didn't know if we could let it work.
“I remember Rasmus just shouting and said,” I spoke with Matthew (Benham, Clubbezer) and he said he would shoot a jet and we will come there ” – At that moment I just thought,” Wow! “
“But then I started to feel the pressure. I had set it all with Troyes, as well as the agents involved, so I, Thomas and Rasmus came to this jet.
“We came there, it was one of the most popular days of the year, it had reached around 43 ° C when we landed. It was a 60 -minute journey and the air conditioning did not work in the taxi we came to!
“We had the meeting, spoke with the player, the club and the agent, but the deal broke. So I had convinced everyone to fly to France to do this deal – I thought it would be done – but it was demolished.”
A bad day then got worse for Dykes before a deal for Mbeumo was finally revived. He added: “On the way back, and I am not a good kite in general, the pilot turned to us and said,” It is chaotic weather in London, it is snowing, there is thunder, there is lightning. “I thought,” What was it 43 degrees when we left France. “
“And the journey back was terrible – I could see the pilot who avoided the dark spots on the radar. I was fighting it!
“But luckily we have landed safely and, more importantly, a few days later we managed to turn the deal and eventually sign it. So, Brentford fans have to know that I risked my life to sign Bryan Mbeumo!”