Man United Transfer Blow: Bryan Mbeumo Could Miss 10 Games Due to AFCON After £55m Move

 Manchester United could face a significant setback in their pursuit of

Brentford forward Bryan Mbeumo, as the player may miss up to ten matches if a transfer is completed this summer all due to AFCON 2025.

According to MEN Sport, United have submitted an initial bid of £45 million plus £10 million in add-ons for the Cameroonian winger, who enjoyed a standout season with 20 goals across all competitions. However, Brentford are reportedly holding out for a higher fee, with negotiations ongoing.

Despite Mbeumo’s attacking prowess and proven Premier League experience, United may be without the forward during a crucial part of the season. The Africa Cup of Nations, hosted by Morocco, will run from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026. Cameroon are already confirmed participants, and Mbeumo is expected to feature heavily in their plans.

Cameroon’s group stage fixtures include:

• Gabon on December 24

• Ivory Coast on December 28

• Mozambique on December 31

Should Cameroon progress deep into the tournament  potentially to the final Mbeumo could miss up to ten games, including key Premier League fixtures and FA Cup ties during the packed Christmas and New Year schedule.

To make matters worse for Erik ten Hag, Amad Diallo  Mbeumo's likely replacement in the squad  is also expected to be called up by Ivory Coast for AFCON. This would leave United short on wide attacking options during a critical run of fixtures.

Originally scheduled for the summer, AFCON was moved to the winter due to FIFA’s newly-expanded Club World Cup in the United States, which has taken calendar priority.

Since AFCON is an official FIFA tournament, Manchester United would not be able to block Mbeumo’s call-up, meaning the club must consider this major availability issue before finalizing the deal.