Why Leicester City should bolster their attack with Bryan Mbeumo

Towards the end of August, a report from French outlet Foot Mercato (h/t Leicestershire Live) had claimed that Leicester City were interested in signing Brentford winger Bryan Mbeumo before the summer deadline. 

However, the Foxes eventually shifted their focus to other targets and completed a loan deal to acquire the services of Cengiz Under from AS Roma. Meanwhile, Mbeumo ended up staying put at Griffin Park and has continued to enhance his reputation as one of the best young creative talents in the EFL Championship.

Profile

A youth exponent of Troyes, Bryan Mbeumo made his Ligue 1 debut during the 2017-18 season after impressing for the club’s reserve side. He established himself as a first-team regular following Troyes’ relegation to the second-tier at the end of the campaign, scoring 10 goals from 35 Ligue 2 outings in 2018-19. 

The 21-year-old’s burgeoning reputation in France prompted Brentford to snap him up for a club-record £6million last summer. Mbuemo went on to take the EFL Championship by storm last season, forming a third of the famous BMW forward line at Griffin Park also featuring Said Benrahma and Ollie Watkins. 

Mbeumo registered an astonishing 16 goals and 7 assists for the Bees in the second-tier last term as Thomas Frank’s side reached the play-off finals. The French U-21 international has suffered a slight dip in form this season but has still amassed a decent tally of 1 goal and 5 assists in 14 league appearances. 

Mbuemo would add more firepower to the Foxes’ attack

Jamie Vardy bagged the Golden Boot award in the PL last season, scoring 23 times as Leicester finished 5th in the standings to make a return to Europe. The veteran talisman has continued to fire on all cylinders this term with 8 goals in 9 league appearances so far, meaning the former England international remains the go-to man for the Foxes up top.

However, with Vardy set to turn 34 in January, the Foxes need more goal contributions from their other attackers to take the pressure off his shoulders. Leicester have a massive prospect on their hands in the form of ever-improving academy graduate Harvey Barnes, who has progressed by leaps and bounds to establish himself as one of the best young wide players in the top-flight.  

Cengiz Under’s arrival has also added some much-needed depth to the attack but the Turkish international is at the club only on loan. With Demarai Gray out of contract next summer and the likes of Ayoze Perez and Kelechi Iheanacho continuing to struggle for consistency, Leicester shouldn’t hesitate to seek attacking reinforcements in January. 

To that end, reigniting interest in Bryan Mbeumo would make sense. The Frenchman’s former Brentford teammates, Benrahma and Watkins, have both made the step up to the Premier League after securing moves to the top-flight this past summer and the 21-year-old looks more than ready to take the next big step in his career.

Mbeumo is predominantly a left-footed wide attacker who is at his best when deployed as an inverted winger on the right flank. However, he also has the versatility to operate on the left and through the middle as a striker. 

Verdict

Leicester already have some fine young players in their squad and Bryan Mbeumo ticks all boxes to come through the door as yet another exciting addition to the ranks. The French starlet has already established himself as one of the most potent attackers in the Championship and certainly has the potential to reach great heights in his career. 

Read More

• Why Leicester City should go back in the market for Ismail Jakobs
• Why Nuno Mendes would be a good long-term signing for Leicester City

Rodgers boasts an excellent track record of nurturing up and coming talents in his managerial career. Mbeumo would surely benefit hugely from playing under the Northern Irishman at the King Power Stadium. Having said that, the Foxes making a renewed attempt to sign the 21-year-old in January would be a step in the right direction.