Man Utd told they made the ‘signing of the season’ ahead of Liverpool and Newcastle

Louis Saha believes Manchester United made the ‘best signing of the season’ ahead of Premier League rivals Liverpool and Newcastle United.

The Red Devils spent just over £200m in last summer’s transfer window, bolstering Ruben Amorim’s squad with the signings of Benjamin Sesko, Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Senne Lammens.

Saha has seen promising signs in all four of Amorim’s summer signings but has been particularly impressed with Mbeumo, hailing him as the ‘best signing in the Premier League’.

Mbeumo has scored six goals in 13 appearances for Manchester United since his £65m move from Brentford last summer.

Saha says Mbeumo’s impact at Old Trafford has been ‘tremendous’ and believes he edges out Liverpool’s Hugo Ekitike and Newcastle’s Nick Woltemade as the signing of the summer.

£79m summer signing Ekitike has been the one bright spark in a desperately disappointing season for defending champions Liverpool, scoring six goals in all competitions.

Woltemade, meanwhile, has netted six goals for Newcastle since his club-record £69m move from German side Stuttgart.

‘For me, the best signing is between Hugo Ekitike and Bryan Mbeumo,’ Saha told Pundit Arena. ‘I think Woltemade has been brilliant too, I love him.

‘I think those three have been the standout players so far, but I think that Mbeumo has probably been the very best of the three.

‘He’s playing for a side that is in transition. Ekitike is playing for the league champions, and Woltemade arrived at a team that is in the Champions League.

‘They both have their problems, of course, but I think United were in the toughest place at the start of the season.

‘I’ve seen United struggle, and how hard it was for Mbeumo, and he’s done brilliantly to raise standards at the club and keep his own standards up.

‘He’s leading the way for Manchester United at the moment. He’s been the most efficient, he’s settled in the best with the team.

‘The amount of involvement he has in the team is tremendous already. He has won individual awards already.

‘Cunha isn’t doing badly, but he’s not scored as much. You can see though that he has the confidence, drive, energy and technique to make an impact over the coming months. There’s potential there.

‘Sesko has had the toughest start, and it’s a hard position to adjust to as a young No, 9.

‘It’s a lot of responsibility to take on, to lead the line in a new system with new teammates. Even Bruno Fernandes has had to adjust, so imagine how it is for a new player in the squad.’

By picking Mbeumo as the ‘signing of the season’, Saha overlooked the likes of Granit Xhaka at Sunderland, Estevao Willian at Chelsea and Martin Zubimendi at Arsenal.

Manchester United and England legend Wayne Rooney recently hailed £17m Xhaka as the best signing of the season given his impact at the Stadium of Light.

Mbeumo’s form helped United go unbeaten between the October and November international breaks, with Amorim’s side beating Liverpool and Brighton during that period.

But Manchester United suffered a hugely disappointing 1-0 defeat to ten-man Everton on Monday as David Moyes earned his very first win over the Red Devils at Old Trafford.

United, now 10th in the Premier League, will look to return to winning ways on Sunday when they face Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.

Amorim is desperate to secure Manchester United’s return to the Champions League this season and his side are just three points outside the top-four places despite the Everton setback.

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