Deal completed: United officially signed Bryan Mbeumo, 25‑year‑old winger/forward from Brentford, on July 21, 2025. The base fee is £65 million, plus up to £6 million in performance-related add-ons, totaling approximately £71 million—making it Brentford’s record sale (The Sun).
Background: Mbeumo netted 20 goals and 7 assists in Premier League 2024–25, which saw him rank among the league’s top scorers (The Sun).
Role & contract: He joins United on a contract until 2030 (with option for a further year), wearing the No. 19 shirt, and will be a key addition under manager Rúben Amorim, potentially occupying a right‑wing or right‑number‑10 role (The Sun, Globedge, Omni).
Liverpool Close on Hugo Ekitike for £79m
Imminent acquisition: Liverpool are finalizing the £79 million acquisition of Hugo Ekitike from Eintracht Frankfurt. The breakdown is a £69 million guaranteed fee plus up to £10 million in add-ons, pending a medical soon (The Times).
Why Ekitike?: With interest in Alexander Isak stalled (Newcastle unwilling to sell), Ekitike became Liverpool’s top striker target. He scored 22 goals in 48 appearances last season and fits the profile of a powerful, tall center‑forward to lead their line (The Liverpool Offside).
Squad investment: This signing pushes Liverpool’s summer outlay toward £300 million, with other arrivals including Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong, Milos Kerkez, and Giorgi Mamardashvili (The Times).
Marcus Rashford Discussed for Barcelona Loan
United’s position shifts: Former England forward Marcus Rashford, aged 27, had been loaned to Aston Villa in early 2025 with a buy option. With Villa now declining to activate it, United have opened talks on a potential loan deal to Barcelona, possibly including an option to buy next summer (teamtalk.com).
Barcelona’s interest: Barca see Rashford as a viable target—potential swap options include Fermin Lopez or Ronald Araujo to offset United’s £40m valuation. Rashford has expressed enthusiasm for Camp Nou and is reportedly willing to lower his £325k‑£350k/week wages to facilitate the move (teamtalk.com).
Deal structure: Media reports suggest an initial loan with deferred purchase, allowing FC Barcelona to work within financial limits, while United offload wages in the short term and secure a possible transfer fee later (Sky Sports, sportskeeda.com, barcablaugranes.com).
Context & Significance
United’s attacking rebuild: Mbeumo joins alongside Matheus Cunha from Wolves (£62.5m) as part of United’s push to revamp their forward line and ease pressure off Bruno Fernandes and Amad Diallo (Talksport).
Liverpool’s strategic overhaul: Ekitike is a marquee addition targeting firepower and scalability—seen as the club’s response to Isak’s unavailability and part of their wider transfer strategy following the Wirtz deal (The Liverpool Offside).
Rashford’s next chapter: With player and club aligned on desire for a move, Barcelona—not Saudi or Premier League clubs—remains the preferred option for Rashford. Financial hurdles remain, but loan structure offers flexibility (thepeoplesperson.com, vanguardngr.com, barcablaugranes.com, Sky Sports).
Summary Table
Player
From → To
Deal Type
Fee
Notes
Bryan Mbeumo
Brentford → Manchester Utd
Permanent
£65m + £6m add-ons
20 goals & 7 assists, five-year contract
Hugo Ekitike
Eintracht Frankfurt → Liverpool
Permanent
£69m + £10m add-ons
Medical pending, led Frankfurt’s attack
Marcus Rashford
Manchester Utd → Barcelona
Loan (opt. buy)
£40m raise expected
Player keen, wages negotiation ongoing
Final Take
Manchester United and Liverpool have made bold attacking reinforcements this summer. United’s acquisition of Mbeumo represents a statement of intent under Ruben Amorim, while Liverpool’s Ekitike deal signals their ambition to compete at the top. Meanwhile, Marcus Rashford’s prospective loan to Barcelona reflects shifting player ambition and financial pragmatism on both sides. This window epitomizes the high-stakes, high-cost game of elite transfer strategy in 2025.
