Why Bryan Mbuemo Is the Perfect Mohamed Salah Replacement for Liverpool
Bryan Mbeumo is the epitome of the ‘moneyball’ approach that Brentford have taken to their recruitment since the 2015-16 season. If you’re unfamiliar with that approach, essentially it’s using stats/data to identify players who are ‘undervalued’ with high potential that are brought in to be developed and sold for a lucrative profit.
Mbeumo was identified while playing for Troyes in Ligue 2 and was signed in the 19/20 season for a reported €6.50m. Although he hasn’t been sold, yet, Transfermarkt value him at €50m and I feel like Brentford will demand even more than that for their Cameroonian star.
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Let’s look at his time with Brentford so far;
19/20 Season – 45 Championship Appearances – 16G/7A
20/21 Season – 47 Championship Appearances – 8G/10A
21/22 Season – 35 EPL Appearances – 4G/7A
22/23 Season – 38 EPL Appearances – 9G/8A
23/24 Season – 25 EPL Appearances – 9G/6A
24/25 Season (So Far) – 16 EPL Appearances – 10G/2A
92 Championship Appearances – 24G/17A
114 EPL Appearances – 32G/23A
In 206 domestic appearances, he has scored 56 goals and gotten 40 assists, considering over half of the appearances are in the EPL, 96 goal contributions in 206 appearances is mightily impressive.
Internationally, he started out playing with France at youth levels. Between U17, U20 and U21 he had 10 caps, scoring one goal. Then it was reported that he had a meeting with Cameroonian legend Samuel Eto’o in which he was convinced to switch allegiances to Cameroon, where his father was born.
Since then, he’s had 20 caps for the Indomitable Lions, scoring five times and also making three appearances at the 2022 World Cup. He’s now a key play for the national team and considered one of the best players in the entire African continent.
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Player Profile
What type of player is Bryan Mbeumo? Why would he be a good replacement for Mohammed Salah, or the perfect right winger for any top club looking to upgrade in that position?
He’s a left-footed right winger that loves to cut inside and get shots away. He’s a really strong, technical dribbler who consistently drags Brentford up the pitch. In terms of carrying the ball, he’s one of the best players in the league and despite being very left-footed, he’s still so difficult to stop.
His low centre of gravity and incredible balance make him so hard to knock off of the ball, even though defenders know he wants the ball on his left foot, they can’t stop him. His acceleration is one of his stand out attributes and what helps him get away from defenders so easily because his top speed isn’t amongst the best in the league.
His ability to drop his shoulder and leave defenders dizzy is a joy to watch and what makes him so unpredictable at times. He always wants the ball on his left but is capable of dragging it round the outside with his strong foot and driving to the byline.
Let’s move back on to this season though and highlight the reasons he’s held in such high regard with anyone that has an interest in the EPL.
Bryan Mbeumo This Season
- 16 Appearances
- 1,435 Minutes Played
- 10G/2A
- 120mins Per Goal Contribution
- 7.59 FotMob Rating
Considering the level of opposition he’s playing week in, week out, these base numbers are excellent. Brentford have been very up and down so far this season, winning seven and also losing seven matches. They’ve also scored 32 goals so far, meaning Mbeumo has scored almost a third of their goals, he’s a massive part of what they are trying to achieve.
Photo: Mbeumo is in some great company at the top of the scoring charts [FotMob]
Let’s look at where he ranks in terms of key stats for wingers;
- Goals – 4th
- Goals and Assists – Joint 5th
- FotMob Rating – 6th
- Big Chances Created – 20th
- Chances Created – 17th
- Successful Dribbles per 90 – 74th
- Possession won final 3rd per 90 – 26th
The only surprise, to me personally, was how lowly he ranks in successful dribbles per 90. That being said, his success rate is still 51.2%. He only has two assists for the season so far but he has created 27 chances in 16 appearances, averaging 1.7 per 90. His composure in front of the goal has been exemplary with a conversion rate of 37%, which is elite level and some!
He can score from inside and outside the box, with two of his ten goals coming from out with the 18-yard-line. He’s really asserted himself as one of the top goal threats in the English Premier League this season. The best defenders in the league struggle to keep him quiet which leaves me with no doubts that he’s capable of going to a side with higher expectations than Brentford.
He’s come from Ligue 2, became one of the English Championship’s best players to one of the best wingers in not only the EPL but also compared to other African wingers. At 25 years old, he hasn’t even entered his prime yet, so to think he could have another level or two to step up is incredible. With his contract set to expire in 2026, it’s seemingly only a matter of time before he leaves Brentford for a sizable fee, but the only question is: where?
By: Kai Watson / @KaiGWatson
Featured Image: @GabFoligno / Steve Bardens / Getty Images