Summer signing Bryan Mbeumo is ready to make his Manchester United bow on their pre-season tour of the United States.
Mbuemo, 25, moved from Brentford in a £65 million move that took longer than expected to get over the line but which meant he was able to travel with the squad to Chicago on Tuesday for their next two friendly matches.
United take on Bournemouth at Soldier Field in Chicago on Wednesday but manager Ruben Amorim has said that Mbeumo's debut is likely to come in the next game against Everton at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
And, speaking ahead of the game against Bournemouth, Mbuemo has revealed that he has a couple of unusual pastimes for the modern footballer – playing chess, and the piano.
“It just makes me take time for me to relax myself in my free time,” he said in a sit-down interview in Chicago. “The piano is nothing really linked to football. But chess, even if it's not physical, there is a lot of thought.
“When you play football you have to think as well. Playing chess you can see some moves ahead because it is a strategy game. In football you have your strategy as well so you can link them together.
“I’m not that crazy good but if you know the rating, I'm like 800 on chess.com. Playing online is anonymous. I have a username, you choose a nickname and just play against random people online, and I use my own chess board against them.
“There was a one period where I was really, really into it. I was watching videos on YouTube doing training on the app. I think even for the brain, it's really, really good. And you can develop like new skills.
“Obviously, you're doing football most of the time, every day, so you sometimes you don't really have time to develop on other skills. I like creativity and stuff.
“I watched The Queen’s Gambit. It was really good. I’ve been told that Josh [Zirkzee] plays, so I might need to play against him and bring in the chess board.
As for his piano skills? “The thing is, I don't really like to play in front of people,” he admitted. “Even if I play in front of a couple of friends at home, I'm not exactly shaking but it’s ‘Oh guys, this is kind of hard for me’.
Yet he will soon be performing in front of 73,000 every other week. “You want to play on the greatest stages in the world. And Old Trafford is one of them,” he added. “So being able to play here every two weeks is just big.”
Mbeumo, 25, described United as “the club of my dreams” after agreeing his five-year deal. “Manchester is a big club,” he said of his reasoning for the move. “I think it’s a great opportunity and I chose the project.”
Manchester United are not in Europe next season but he was adamant he wanted to go to no other club, despite widespread interest in the player who has thrived in the Premier League.
“I'm someone who likes a challenge,” he said. “There is a very good project in Manchester and I wanted to be part of it.”
And of the drawn-out nature of the deal? Was there ever a point where he thought it wasn’t going to happen?
“No, I always trust my people around me,” he said. “The transfer windows can be long, it can be short. So you have be patient, and just try to keep thinking positively about things.
“I was obviously on my holidays, so I just wanted to think about resting mentally and physically and if it was going to happen, it was going to happen.”
Was he always sure in your mind that you would end this window as a Manchester United player?
“Yeah. Yeah. As I said, I trust my people and I was convinced that it was going to happen. Of course I spoke to some other managers because I wanted to hear their projects but the Manchester United one was very good for me”.
Mbeumo’s first aim is to make sure he’s ready for the start of the season and United are working him hard in training to try to ensure that happens.
Asked about the position he’s likely to play given he’s been successful as a winger and also up front, he said: “Not one specific position because I think now, in football, you must be adaptable and be able to play in a few other positions than what you’d say is your best. But I think it's good to gain experience.
“Obviously I’ve played as a winger mainly at Brentford but I don’t have one specific position where I feel I can do the best. But with Brentford I used to also play a 10 in the pocket or even as a number nine. I can fill all those positions”.
United coach Ruben Amorim wants players who were Premier League proven and ready, who’d improve his team in his systems.
“Of course it will help me because I’ve played in many formations before, he said when asked about his Premier League experience. “But obviously it's different because it's a new time now and every season is different.”
As for Brentford's attitude when playing big teams like United, he added: “We took all the games, knowing that they were not normal games. We had in our heads that we could win every game. So we just try to not fear the names in their team and then we just try to play.”
Can he replicate that form at his new club? “Yeah, of course, as a forward as a striker, you always want to make an imprint in the game, helping people to score or scoring yourself.”
Mbeumo scored a career best 20 Premier League goals last season so United will be hoping for more of the same from the Cameroonian this time round.
“Yeah, as a striker as well, for myself I always want to be better than I was yesterday,” he said. “I’m very demanding on myself and I always try to do the best. I don’t like to put limits on myself as well.”
United have struggled badly for goals in recent seasons – would Mbeumo play as a number nine if required? “Whatever position the gaffer wants to put me in, I will play there,” he insisted.
