Man Utd's £40m Alejandro Garnacho replacement dubbed 'leader' and 'mini Mo Salah'

Brentford's Bryan Mbeumo has been a consistent performer in the Premier League but has taken his game to a new level that has reportedly piqued the interest of Manchester United

In the event of Alejandro Garnacho's departure from Manchester United, Bryan Mbeumo is reportedly a key target for the Premier League giants.

Red Devils boss Ruben Amorim has made no qualms about the standards he expects from his team, having singled out Garnacho and Marcus Rashford after leaving them out of the matchday squad for the Manchester derby last month. While he began the season on the bench under Erik ten Hag, Argentina international Garnacho grew to become an important player for the Dutchman, starting six league games in a row before his sacking.

In the subsequent eight games, with one being led by then-interim boss Ruud van Nistelrooy, the 20-year-old has started just three times under the Portuguese boss.

It emerged earlier this week that Garnacho – along with a number of other key players – is now considered expendable by the club. It is understood that the Red Devils would be open to serious offers for all members of Amorim's squad, with no players off limits this month.

TBR Football additionally claim that Garnacho is said to be open to leaving Old Trafford, with Atletico Madrid touted as a possible destination. Should he depart United, Brentford star Mbeumo could arrive in his place following a scintillating first half of the season.

The Cameroon international has scored 13 goals and added a further three assists in 18 Premier League matches as he's been the shining light in an otherwise inconsistent campaign for the Bees thus far.

His numbers stack up against the best the division, with only Mohamed Salah (18) and Erling Haaland (16) scoring more in the top-flight than the 25-year-old this season. According to Spanish outlet Fichajes, Amorim's side are aiming to secure his services in a £40million swoop.

Since last season, Mbeumo has been subject to high praise across the footballing world, with his manager Thomas Frank paying tribute to the standards he sets among his own team-mates.

"I praised him a couple of weeks ago because he drives training with his attitude and work ethic and determination to want to get better and win," the Dane said, as per The Athletic. “He’s definitely a leader in the making."

His playstyle and effectiveness on the left on a three-pronged attack has led to comparisons to Mohamed Salah, with talkSPORT's Jason Cundy dubbing Mbeumo as a mini version of the Liverpool legend.

"Mbeumo, I think, when you look at what might happen at Liverpool with Salah… I’m looking at Mbeumo and what he’s capable of. He’s a little mini Salah, off that right hand side, his left foot."

Brentford will be hoping they can keep hold of the winger for as long as possible. Should he leave, it would be a bitter pill to swallow for the west Londoners, who saw Ivan Toney depart last season.

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