Man United transfer news: The ‘aggressive’ Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo plan that failed for a third forward

Manchester United reportedly chased another Premier League-proven forward in the summer after the signings of Matheus Cunha from Wolverhampton Wanderers and Bryan Mbeumo from Brentford.

Ruben Amorim’s side signed the Brazilian from Wolves in a deal worth £62.5m, while Mbeumo joined the Red Devils in a transfer potentially reaching £71m after a 20-goal season with the Bees.

The Manchester giants subsequently acquired Benjamin Sesko from RB Leipzig for an initial €76.5 m (£66.4m) and possible €8.5m (£7.4m) in performance-related add-ons to complete the revamp of their attack after a dismal 2024-25 season in which the 13-time Premier League champions scored 44 goals in 38 games.

Only Mbeumo has scored for United after the opening three gameweeks, with Sesko being eased into the team and Cunha sustaining an injury during the club’s 3-2 league victory over Burnley before the international break.

However, it has now emerged that Amorim’s team reportedly nearly signed another forward familiar with the English top flight.

Why Manchester United's 'aggressive' interest in Premier League forward failed

According to a report in The Sun, the Manchester-based club were keen on Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo, who scored 11 goals in 37 Premier League appearances last season, ‘aggressively’ targeting the forward.

The Ghana international, who supplied five assists in 24-25, was rumoured to be earmarked for a move in the region of £55m, with Amorim said to have taken the forward to dinner in London.

The Red Devils were said to have wanted to reuse the strategy implemented in the acquisitions of Cunha and Mbeumo, agreeing on personal terms before making a club-to-club approach.

However, the transfer reportedly did not materialise after the 25-year-old realised he was going to earn significantly less than the Reds Devils' marquee forward signings, said to be worth 70% of the wages offered to the former Wolves and Brentford attackers.

Semenyo has since agreed to a new deal at Bournemouth, potentially keeping him at the Vitality Stadium until 2030.

What could Semenyo have added to Manchester United?

Semenyo's key strengths are his raw pace, physicality and two-footedness, with the latter being a standout characteristic.

The forward’s ability to operate effectively with either foot makes him unpredictable, as he can cut inside or go down the wing with equal threat.

Additionally, as a powerful winger, Semenyo’s muscular frame and direct dribbling could have complemented Mbeumo’s menace on the opposite flank, creating problems for opposition defenders.

The forward’s excellent ball-carrying was clearly demonstrated in Bournemouth’s exhilarating 4-2 defeat against Liverpool on the opening weekend of the new season, when he ran the length of the Anfield pitch before beating Alisson in the Reds’ goal to briefly bring the score back to 2-2.

Semenyo’s threat in possession and work ethic off the ball would have benefitted Amorim’s team if a transfer had gone through; however, fans will rue missing out on the dynamic forward after the latest reports.