Secret tips from barcelona legend that made bryan mbeumo newcastle's no 1 target

THE BRENTFORD STAR SPOKE TO FORMER CHELSEA AND BARCA STRIKER SAMUEL ETO'O OVER A SWITCH TO CAMEROON 15:49, 02 Jun 2025 Bryan Mbeumo's transformation from Troyes' second string

to a Premier League star is no accident. The Brentford forward has taken the English top flight by storm after establishing himself as one of the most dangerous forwards in the league. The

25-year-old is a man in demand this summer as a host of clubs compete to land the winger, with Newcastle United hoping they can persuade him to leave London for the North East. The Magpies

have reportedly identified him as a key target in the current transfer window as they look to secure more top-class talent for the forthcoming Champions League campaign. He won't come

cheap. Brentford are in a strong position and while Thomas Frank and Co won't stand in the way of a big move, they will hold out for their asking price, thought to be in excess of £60m.

Newcastle have money to spend but won't be held to ransom, although there is confidence on Tyneside that a deal can be struck. Mbeumo has enjoyed six seasons with the Bees, helping

them win promotion from the Premier League in 2021 before becoming a vital part of a side which has challenged for European places. His 20 goals in 38 top flight games this season just

finished was a new high, but takes his total to an impressive 70 in red-and-white stripes. Born in Avallon in France, Mbeumo has represented the French national side at Under 17, U20 and U21

level, but was persuaded to switch international allegiance to Cameroon - by none other than Barcelona goalscoring hero Samuel Eto'o. The pair met in 2022 in London, with the

ex-Chelsea and Inter Milan star convincing him to play for the Cameroon national side, with his father born in the African country. Article continues below He went on to star at the 2022

World Cup for Cameroon and is currently helping their qualification bid for the 2026 tournament, scoring in a 3-1 win over Libya in March. Mbeumo took the advantage of the meeting with

Eto'o to quiz the striker on key tips - and it's something Newcastle hope to reap the benefit of should a deal go through. “It was just the two of us, I met him in a restaurant,”

Mbeumo said in 2022. “He came to London to see me. I know from my dad, who’s Cameroonian, that it could be a good opportunity. “When he approached me in the first place, I didn’t know if I

would go or not. But after speaking to him, he explained to me about the project and I was happy with it. “Afterwards, he gave me a bit of time to think about it before I gave my decision,

and then I decided to play for them. I was a bit nervous to meet him! He’s a legend of African football and football in general. “I also asked him questions about being a striker, how he did

certain things, how he dealt with certain situations, and he gave me advice. Talking about football with him was great.” Cameroon have two friendlies this month, facing Uganda on Friday

(June 6) and then travelling to take on Equatorial Guinea on Monday, June 9. _Here at ChronicleLive, we are dedicated to bringing you the best NEWCASTLE UNITED coverage and analysis._ _Make

sure you don't miss out on the latest NUFC news by joining our free WhatsApp group. You can get all the breaking news and best analysis sent straight to your phone by clicking HERE to

subscribe._ Article continues below _You can also subscribe to our free newsletter service. Click HERE to be sent all the day's biggest stories._ _And, finally, if you would rather

listen to our expert analysis then make sure to check out our Everything is Black and White podcast. Our shows are available on all podcast platforms, including SPOTIFY and APPLE PODCASTS,

and you can also watch along on YOUTUBE._