Study Reveals 3 Worst Value-For-Money Summer Signings After Bryan Mbeumo to Man Utd

The three worst value-for-money transfers among Premier League clubs this summer have been revealed, thanks to a study by Football Transfers. Long gone are the days when clubs could splash the cash without nervously glancing over their shoulders, as Financial Fair Play and PSR now wait in the wings, ready to pounce on those who overstep the mark.

With the beautiful game now as much about balance sheets as it is about the football side of things, securing financially sound deals has become crucial. But clearly, some clubs haven’t read the fine print. The new study dives into the difference between expected transfer values and what was actually paid – in some cases, it seems teams paid a premium for fool’s gold, and this rings especially true for Manchester United as they look to bolster their forward unit.

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Bryan Mbeumo (Manchester United)

Overpaid expected transfer value by £28.3 million

It’s taken Man United around six weeks to reach this point and secure their second major arrival of the summer. Yet even after such drawn-out negotiations, questions will be raised – not only about why it took so long to reach a resolution, but also about the Red Devils ultimately buckling under pressure from Brentford, whose asking price for Bryan Mbeumo has finally been met.

United had remained adamant they would walk away from talks if forced to pay above their valuation, especially given the debt still hanging over them from the Glazer era, as Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his INEOS team implement a series of dystopian cost-cutting strategies in order to balance the books.

That valuation was set at £65 million – yet that figure is now just the upfront fee they’ll pay for Mbeumo, with bonuses still to follow. It’s a hefty price for the Cameroon international. In fact, the initial payment alone is nearly £30 million above the 25-year-old’s Estimated Transfer Value, which sits at £37 million. Part of the inflated fee may be down to Brentford’s reluctance to sell to a Premier League rival, and the fact his output of 27 goal involvements across 38 league games will be sorely missed.

Matheus Cunha (Manchester United)

Overpaid expected transfer value by £11.6 million

Worryingly for Ruben Amorim’s side, Matheus Cunha features as one of the other two worst value-for-money transfers of the summer so far. According to the study, the Red Devils have overpaid by just shy of £40 million across the two major deals they’ve completed in their bid to restore their forward line to former glory.

The analysis attributes the overpayment largely to last season’s numbers, which suggest a short-term overperformance, leading to a temporary spike in valuation. The pair’s goal return came from a relatively low xG, and history shows that only a handful of elite players can sustain such efficiency over multiple seasons. It’s yet another stat that raises eyebrows, especially for a club in need of both short and long-term solutions.

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However, Cunha did prove last season that he’s more than capable of dragging underperforming sides through rough patches. His tally of nine Man of the Match awards – among the highest in Europe’s top five leagues – was a key reason Wolves managed to claw their way to safety. That kind of individual match-winning ability means it doesn’t always matter who’s around him. And in that sense, the £62.5 million price tag might just be justified, even if it was the very fee that reportedly put Liverpool off making a move.

Mohammed Kudus (Tottenham)

Overpaid expected transfer value by £9.6 million

After salvaging their 2024/25 campaign with a Europa League final win over Man United, Tottenham have steadily been piecing together a new-look squad that’s shaping up to be a frightening prospect for opposition sides. With Son Heung-min and Mathys Tel rotating on one flank, Morgan Gibbs-White still hoping for a move so that he can operate behind Dominic Solanke, and Mohammed Kudus occupying the right wing, Thomas Frank’s attack could be on to something special.

That hasn’t stopped Spurs from slightly overpaying for the latter, though, who arrived from West Ham for £55 million – despite his estimated transfer value sitting at £45.6 million. It makes him the third-worst value-for-money signing of the summer so far, though it’s far from the extremes of Mbeumo’s move to Old Trafford.

Still, Kudus – a strong, mobile, and fairly prolific speedster – might be exactly what Tottenham needed to unlock their full attacking potential. The Ghanaian international has contributed to 22 goals over the last two Premier League seasons, and Ian Wright once said he had “everything it takes to become world-class” upon his move to England in 2023, and should the 24-year-old go on to achieve that status, his fee could bloat more in the future.

All statistics courtesy of Football Transfers & Transfermarkt (correct as of 19/07/2025)