Bryan Mbeumo names Manchester United’s ‘most competitive’ player – but he’s barely featured this season
Manchester United attacker Bryan Mbeumo has named the club’s most competitive player.
Bryan Mbeumo has been arguably Manchester United’s best player so far this season, scoring eight goals in 19 Premier League matches. He has been a key player in the three games Michael Carrick has taken charge of, and even under Ruben Amorim before that.
The Red Devils’ summer recruitment was fantastic, bringing in the likes of Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha, and Benjamin Sesko, who have all impressed this season, especially under Carrick as of late.
However, the new attacking trio has pushed several players out of the first team regularly. The likes of Mason Mount, Joshua Zirkzee and Chido Obi Martin have all been cast aside more recently, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t still valuable to the team.
Mbeumo names Zirkzee as the most competitive Man United player
Mbeumo has shown his passion at Manchester United, especially more recently when he won the Manchester derby by scoring to put United 1-0 up after 65 minutes. The Cameroon international remains United’s top scorer despite spending time away at AFCON over the Winter.
He knows a thing or two about being competitive, and so it may come as a surprise to several fans that he picked Joshua Zirkzee as the most competitive Manchester United player.
In a TikTok challenge with Sports Direct, Mbeumo selected Zirkzee as the most competitive in training, overlooking the likes of Bruno Fernandes, Matheus Cunha, and Lisandro Martinez, which could come as a surprise.
Zirkzee has really struggled to get into the first team this season, making just 16 appearances in all competitions, including just 14 games in the Premier League. The Dutchman has only been able to score two goals this season and looks far away from regular first-team football. However, he seems competitive behind the scenes, which is a positive sign for the 24-year-old.
Zirkzee was close to leaving in January
Zirkzee was linked with potentially leaving the club during the January transfer window, as he has struggled during his time at Old Trafford. The Dutchman had several potential destinations in Italy, with the likes of Roma and Juventus both linked to signing the United striker.
Roma opted for Aston Villa’s Donyell Malen instead, and Juventus decided against signing Zirkzee. He was also linked with a move to West Ham early in the January window, but the Hammers decided to pursue other targets. It was understood that Manchester United weren’t set on selling Zirkzee, so he remains in the North West.
However, if he continues to struggle during the back end of the season, then a summer move could be more likely. Zirkzee would really need to take his chance under Carrick, if the likes of Mbeumo, Sesko or Cunha get injured, as he won’t get regular football otherwise based on what we’ve seen from him at United so far.