Brentford have slapped an asking price of £50m on Bryan Mbeumo as he continues to be linked with Arsenal, Liverpool and Newcastle United.
The Bees spent less than £6m to bring Mbeumo to west London in 2019, the Cameroon international signing a five-year contract with Brentford after leaving French side Troyes.
Mbeumo scored 15 Championship goals in his first season with Brentford and then played a key part in the club’s promotion to the Premier League the following year.
The 25-year-old has been one of the most consistent and reliable players in the English top-flight over the past three seasons, regularly popping up with important goals and earning praise from pundits and fans for his general play.
Mbeumo is set to enjoy his most prolific campaign to date, already scoring eight goals in nine Premier League games to attract interest from some of the biggest clubs in England.
There were fears Brentford could struggle, particularly in front of goal, following Ivan Toney’s lucrative move to Saudi Arabia, but the club are coping just fine without the England international and much of that is down to Mbeumo.
Only Manchester City superstar Erling Haaland has more goals than Mbeumo so far this season and talkSPORT say his form has caught the eye of Arsenal, Liverpool and Newcastle.
Given the growing interest in Mbeumo, Brentford are planning to tie him down until the summer of 2027 but are reportedly open to selling if a club makes an offer in the region of £50m.
Arsenal remain interest in bolstering Mikel Arteta’s attacking options after opting not to sign a new forward last summer and putting their faith in Kai Havertz.
Liverpool, meanwhile, are planning for life after Mohamed Salah, who will be out of contract at the end of the season and is being linked with a move to Saudi.
‘I remember saying to you about if Mo Salah left, Mbeumo would be the one I would have gone after,’ ex-Chelsea striker Tony Cascarino recently told talkSPORT.
‘He’s got so much about him, he’s got goals, he’s got durability. He’s just a nuisance every time he plays.’
Even Brentford boss Thomas Frank has tipped Mbeumo to join a ‘bigger club’ at some stage.
‘He’s added another layer this year,’ he said earlier in the season. ‘I’m convinced one day he’ll play for a bigger club.
‘I’d definitely buy him if I were at a bigger club. That said, he’s very happy here.’
Manchester United have been desperately short of goals this season and while they have not been linked with Mbeumo, former player Mikael Silvestre believes he would be an ideal signing.
‘What Bryan Mbeumo has been doing for Brentford is a credit to him because things were never going to be easy when it came to replacing the goals of Ivan Toney,’ he told Norske Bettingsider.
‘I do think that top clubs like Manchester United should be keeping a close eye on his progress this season, it’s a big time in his career at the age of 25 to see if he can make that step up.
‘I think it’s a decisive season for him personally and I think he’d have the character to be a success at Old Trafford. I can’t see him going to Arsenal, Liverpool or Manchester City yet, but he is full of confidence.’
Mbeumo will look to continue his hot streak on Monday night when Brentford, sitting ninth in the Premier League, visit west London rivals Fulham.
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