It is nice for once to see a strongly-linked Manchester United target be in the headlines for the potential of his going to Aston Villa instead. For all the unsourced and unverified talk of Emiliano MartÃnez going to United, the media at large would have you believe that the Argentina international has already joined Ruben Amorim's side.
While that continues to unfold on social media and behind the scenes, a move that was believed to have been certified appears to have a potential twist. Bryan Mbeumo was thought to be a prime candidate to go from Brentford to United.
Although it is most likely that United will still find a way to secure the Cameroon international, it is nice to see anyone else, other than a Villa player, being in a hypothetical discussion during the summer months.
Again, Mbeumo's eventual arrival to B6 is unlikely at best. It would provide an intriguing option for Unai Emery if that were to take place. The Cameroonian is someone who is a proven player in the Premier League.
Often, there is an inherent risk involved when acquiring someone who will be playing in the EPL for the first time. For some, the increase in competition level proves to be too much to handle. In this instance, that would obviously not be an issue, seeing where he played this past season.
Potential ramifications for Aston Villa
Still, his eventual move to Manchester could see Brentford with a counter-acquisition of someone like Antony. With time running out and potential landing spots becoming less and less available throughout all European rosters, things are shaping up to leave Villa as the best and only realistic option, whether it is on loan or otherwise, for United attacker Marcus Rashford to continue playing during the 2025-2026 season.
In that regard, there is not much that is actually known. The continued speculation and activity could actually end up benefiting Villa in their pursuits when the dust fully settles.