As Manchester United intensify their pursuit of Bryan Mbeumo, the story behind Brentford’s dramatic 2019 signing of the Cameroon international reveals just how complicated deals involving the star forward can be.
The Red Devils, keen on rebuilding under Ruben Amorim, have already secured Matheus Cunha from Wolves and placed Mbeumo at the top of their transfer wishlist.
Yet even a £60 million bid was reportedly not enough to sway Brentford. Why is Mbeumo so highly rated? The answer lies not just in his stats, but in the extraordinary lengths Brentford once went to land him.
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Back in 2019, Brentford’s technical director Lee Dykes had only recently moved from League Two side Bury when he was tasked with sealing the club’s ambitious deal for Mbeumo, then a rising talent at French side Troyes.
Speaking in a 2023 interview with the Bees’ official website, Dykes recalled the high-stakes, pressure-filled mission:
“I felt big pressure because I walked into a function where I was trying to take forward some of the good work that had already been done. Coming into Brentford, I’d never really spent a lot of money… six weeks later we are paying €5million for Bryan Mbeumo.”
Things got intense quickly. Dykes, alongside co-director of football Rasmus Ankersen and head coach Thomas Frank, planned a last-minute dash to France to close the deal. But with time tight and no direct route for a day trip, Brentford owner Matthew Benham offered a private jet to get them in and out.
That’s when reality hit Dykes:
“I started to feel the pressure. I’d lined it all up with Troyes, as well as the agents. We got there… it was one of the hottest days of the year, 43°C, and the taxi’s air conditioning wasn’t working!”
Despite the dramatic effort, initial talks failed. Mbeumo wasn’t interested in a move to the Championship at first, and the deal fell through.
“We spoke with the player, the club and the agent, but the deal broke down,” Dykes said. “I thought it was going to get done, but it had broken down.”
And just when Dykes thought the day couldn’t get worse, the return flight to London nearly became a disaster.
“The pilot said, ‘It’s chaotic weather in London, snowing, thunder, lightning.’ I was thinking, ‘What? It was 43 degrees when we left France.’ The journey back was horrendous. I could see the pilot avoiding dark spots on the radar. I was bricking it!”
Despite the terrifying turbulence, the trio made it back safely. Days later, negotiations resumed, this time with success. Mbeumo was signed for €5 million, and the rest is Brentford history.
“Brentford fans must know that I risked my life to sign Bryan Mbeumo!” Dykes joked.
Today, that same Mbeumo is a hot commodity in the Premier League transfer market. And if Manchester United want him badly enough, they might need to show the same level of commitment, and courage, that Brentford did back in 2019.
