Manchester United have been known over recent years to invest heavily in youngsters who can make an immediate and long-term impact at Old Trafford.
Part of their £800m spending spree in the last four years has seen numerous big-money talents arrive at the club – with Leny Yoro making the move to join the Red Devils last summer.
Despite being just 18, the hierarchy forked out a reported £52m for the teenager’s signature, even fending off competition from Real Madrid for his services.
He’s since become a key component of Ruben Amorim’s first-team squad, already racking up 42 appearances in the last 12 months or so since his big-money transfer.
However, whilst he still has bags of time to reach world-class status, the Frenchman would do very well to hit the heights of one player during his own stint at the Theatre of Dreams.
Man Utd’s best ever young first-team addition
Back in the summer of 2004, eyebrows were raised across England after United paid a staggering £27m for the signature of teenage sensation Wayne Rooney from Everton.
Such a fee was a mammoth investment for an 18-year-old, but over two decades on, it’s clear the transfer is one of the Red Devils’ best in their 146-year history.
He would spend 13 successful years as a star player at Old Trafford, winning countless individual awards along with team success under the guidance of Sir Alex Ferguson.
The now 40-year-old won England’s Player of the Year award on five separate occasions, even winning the PFA Player of the Year award back in 2009/10 after scoring 34 times in all competitions.
Under the management of Sir Alex, he won five Premier League titles and a Champions League – subsequently making himself one of the most decorated English players of all time.
Individually, he was just as impressive, scoring 253 times for the Red Devils, a tally that ranks him top of the club’s all-time goalscorer charts – sitting ahead of Sir Bobby Charlton.
His talents were also there for all to see at international level, scoring 53 times, a record that saw him top the list for the Three Lions until Harry Kane came along.
Alongside his tangible contributions, Rooney made a name for himself as a warrior on the pitch, with one current player currently possessing a very similar playstyle.
The United player who is becoming the new Rooney
After scoring just 44 times across the 2024/25 campaign, Amorim made it abundantly clear to the United hierarchy that he wanted reinforcements within the final third.
Bryan Mbeumo was just one of the signings made during the off-season, arriving in a staggering £71m transfer from fellow top-flight outfit Brentford.
The Cameroonian international has already made a stellar start to life in Manchester, scoring five times and registering one assist in his first ten outings for the club.
His latest appearance against Brighton and Hove Albion was arguably his best to date, subsequently scoring twice and helping secure the manager’s third Premier League win in a row.
He was also joined at the Red Devils by Matheus Cunha, with the Brazilian also costing a pretty penny at £62.5m including add-ons from Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The Brazilian international has occupied the number ten role with Mbeumo at Old Trafford and has undoubtedly played a key role in the recent revival under Amorim.
Unlike the Cameroonian, he’s had to wait to make the desired impact, only registering his first goal for the Red Devils in this weekend’s convincing win over Brighton.
However, he’s still received key praise from former first-team member Patrice Evra, who claimed Cunha “has the same raw chaos as Rooney” – certainly high praise indeed.
His underlying stats at Old Trafford showcase the reasoning behind Evra’s comments, with the Brazilian currently creating 1.2 chances per 90 in the Premier League.
Games played
8
Goals & assists
1
Chances created
1.2
Shots on target
1.6
Dribbles completed
1.9
Possession won in final third
0.7
Fouls won
2.4
Ball recoveries
4.3
Other figures, such as 1.6 shots on target per 90 and 1.9 dribbles per 90, showcase his ability within the final third, which has already seen the forward become a fan-favourite.
However, his chaos without the ball is reflected in his tally of 0.7 ball regains per 90 in the final third – a tally which ranks him in the top 25% of all attackers in the division.
It’s certainly early days in his career at Old Trafford, but the signs are all positive for Cunha to become an influential figure in any success endured in the years ahead.
Should he continue on his current path, there’s no reason why he can’t have a similar impact to Rooney during his own period at the Theatre of Dreams.
