Manchester United's aspirations of signing Bryan Mbeumo have taken a major hit, primarily due to fierce competition from Liverpool, who are racing towards a lucrative deal for Eintracht Frankfurt's striker Hugo Ekitike.

It has now been a staggering 47 days since Manchester United made their only significant signing this summer, securing Matheus Cunha from Wolves for £62.5 million. Despite recent youthful additions in Diego Leon, Harley Emsden-James, and Enzo Kana-Biyik, the long wait for another senior player to join the ranks has felt excruciating.

Following weeks of negotiations to bring Mbeumo to Old Trafford, United faces yet another setback, with their £62.5 million second offer—including a £55 million upfront payment—having been turned down by Brentford. The situation worsened when it was revealed that Brentford has increased their demands, leaving a 'considerable gap' between the two clubs, as reported by David Ornstein.

In a twist of fate, Liverpool's aggressive pursuit of Ekitike— linked with United—has further complicated matters. Liverpool has reportedly reached a six-year contract agreement with the player, who is now eager to join Arne Slot’s squad, while fee negotiations are ongoing.

This bold move by Liverpool has sidelined Newcastle, who also expressed interest in Ekitike earlier this week but are now left searching for alternatives.

Newcastle's interest in Brentford's Yoane Wissa has intensified, as they look to regroup after their failure to secure Ekitike. Ornstein confirmed that while the Magpies haven’t yet contacted Brentford, an agreement on personal terms with the DR Congo international will be necessary.

Wissa, who netted 19 goals last season—the highest non-penalty total among top scorers—is now a target, but Brentford is unlikely to part with both Wissa and Mbeumo in the same transfer window, complicating United's ambitions.

Further complicating United’s transfer strategy is speculation about a potential £100 million swap deal with Chelsea that could skew slightly in favor of the Blues. Meanwhile, reports indicate that United's hopes of scoring a significant fee for Jadon Sancho are in jeopardy, with Sir Jim Ratcliffe expected to negotiate a lower price after another club played their cards adeptly.

In a twist of drama, Manchester United legend Teddy Sheringham voiced his hope that Marcus Rashford's potential move to Barcelona doesn't come to fruition, arguing that the forward hasn’t yet earned the prestigious transfer.