Bryan Mbeumo Poised to Shatter 12-Year Manchester United Drought That No Red Devils Star Has Broken

Manchester United striker Bryan Mbeumo remains open to the possibility of netting 20 Premier League goals during his debut campaign at the club, declining to establish any personal targets or boundaries.

Mbeumo achieved that milestone in the top flight while playing for Brentford last term, which was more than twice his previous best league total of nine goals. This performance led United to eventually secure his services for £71 million ($93.9 million) during the summer transfer window as they sought to enhance their attacking options.

The Cameroon striker made an immediate impact, troubling Arsenal's defense with his intelligent runs during the opening Premier League match of the campaign—though he failed to score. Mbeumo registered his first United goal against Grimsby Town in the Carabao Cup during late August and has since added four more strikes in nine league outings, including a brace in his most recent appearance.

Following that match against Brighton & Hove Albion—which represented a third consecutive league victory for Ruben Amorim's team, coming just days after securing back-to-back wins under the Portuguese manager for the first time—Mbeumo was asked whether he could repeat his 20-goal league haul, and he embraced the possibility.

"I consistently strive to set ambitious targets in all my endeavors," he explained. "I prefer not to impose restrictions on myself or what I might accomplish. I will simply focus on working toward that goal as much as I can.

"Everyone desires to compete at the highest level possible," the forward continued, highlighting United's recent surge up the standings—they now sit just two points behind second-placed Bournemouth. "We aim to secure as many victories as we can, and that's exactly what we'll attempt to achieve."

'The Journey Has Been Challenging'

Beyond their substantial investment in Mbeumo, United also committed £62.5 million for Matheus Cunha and up to £73.7 million for Benjamin Šeško in a comprehensive restructuring of their attacking department, which was the squad's primary weakness from the previous campaign.

With Cunha now having scored his first goal in a United jersey, delivering an excellent opening strike against Brighton, all three forwards are contributing to the scoresheet. There's growing confidence about what this attacking trio can accomplish in the remainder of the season, with United now able to concentrate exclusively on Premier League action until January, though Mbeumo emphasizes that significant effort has been required behind the scenes to develop their current chemistry.

"The process has been challenging, naturally, since we all arrived this season and have been working to build our understanding during training sessions," he noted. "Adapting to this environment hasn't been straightforward—joining such a prestigious club brings expectations that aren't simple to manage, but our teammates have been supportive, assisting me, the squad, and all the new arrivals, which has been crucial.

"We're delighted for [Cunha]. We're developing stronger connections between [myself, Cunha, Šeško]. Certainly, the burden has been lifted from [Cunha's] shoulders with that goal—he had been anticipating it."

Man Utd Leading Scorers by Campaign—Premier League Period

Should Mbeumo manage to score 20 Premier League goals in 2025–26, he would become the first Manchester United player to achieve that single-season benchmark since Robin van Persie (26) accomplished it during Sir Alex Ferguson's farewell campaign over ten years ago.

During the Premier League era, it has been fairly rare for an individual United player to reach 20 league goals in any given season. During their early period of success, goal contributions were typically distributed among several team members, while in recent years the overall output has been limited. The previous season marked the first occasion when no player reached double digits in league scoring.