The bold £63m Man United transfer gamble that could take Amorim's side to the next level
Why Man United should do everything they can to try and land Matheus Cunha in the summer
Manchester World understands that Wolves talisman Matheus Cunha is a top target for Ruben Amorim ahead of what promises to be a hectic summer transfer window at Old Trafford this summer.
The Manchester United boss is keen to enhance his side’s attacking options this summer and is believed to have already given the recruitment team permission to try and sign the Brazilian international.
Cunha agreed to sign a new contract extension at Wolves in January and claimed that he didn’t want to leave the club in the middle of a relegation battle. However, when signing the deal he also pushed to ensure a £62.5m release clause was included in his deal so that it makes it straightforward for an elite club to come in for him in the summer.
Wolves would want the bulk of the fee paid upfront, which would only be possible if United were to offload some of their players this summer, but is Cunha the man to solve United’s problems and can he live up to the hype?
Why Man United are interested in Matheus Cunha
Manchester United are languishing in 14th position and are in desperate need of goals if they are to climb the table next season. Matheus Cunha offers exactly that with 16 goals in 31 matches this season, including 14 in the Premier League, with one of those coming against the Red Devils. He’s also one of Wolves’ chief creators with four assists in the league this term.With 18 goal contributions in 28 league games throughout the season, Cunha ranks 11th in the division for overall goal contributions, one ahead of Bruno Fernandes, who has been far and away United’s most productive player.
Cunha has been Wolves’ talisman this season and at times, particularly under Gary O’Neil, has had to single handedly pick up points for the Old Gold, with individual brilliance. He sits fourth in the league for successful take ons leading to shots (16) and has completed four take ons which have led to goals which is the joint most of any player in the league alongside Mohamed Salah and Yankuba Minteh, via Fbref.
He’s also drawn the third most fouls leading to a shot attempts (12) which only puts him below the likes of Liam Delap and Ismaila Sarr. Cunha played most of his career as a forward at Atletico Madrid, RB Leipzig, Hertha Berlin and Sion, but has primarily operated as a central attacking midfielder at Wolves due to his desire to get on the ball and make things happen from deeper areas. This means he’d fit perfectly into Amorim’s 3421 formation as a central attacking midfield player and could even play alongside Fernandes as a creative outlet for either Rasmus Hojlund or a new centre forward if one’s signed.
Is there a risk in signing Matheus Cunha?
In many ways signing Matheus Cunha is a no-brainer, due to his goal-scoring qualities, his creativity, flair and the facts he’s performed excellently in the Premier League for the last two seasons. However, United after some misfortune in the transfer market in recent windows will look at signing Cunha with some trepidation due to one key factor his disciplinary record.
Two moments of madness - and subsequent red cards - have seen Cunha rack up six games worth of bans this season alone. On top of that he’s also been booked three times and at times has clashed with his manager for his body language on the pitch when things aren’t going to plan. This was displayed in January when Vitor Pereira publicly criticised Cunha. “He can be frustrated as he wants to win, but everyone in the dressing room wants to win,” explained the Wolves boss at the time.
"I don't like this body language. I want someone, as a captain, trying to help the team - running, suffering and fighting all together. But this is something I can understand. Next time, I won't understand. If we start complaining about this and that, this is not the way. He is committed to Wolves but when you keep hearing about other clubs, then it is human [to be distracted]. But he needs to put his mind on his targets and increase his level after injury and help his team again with his quality. The team needs him with good energy and not with frustration. He must slow down and put his mind in the right way."
The other risk comes in the form of the player’s £62.5m price tag which would take a huge chunk of United’s budgets with improvement needed in plenty of areas around the pitch. United’s best hope of signing Cunha could depend on their Europa League run and whether they can secure Champions League qualification by winning that tournament. Likewise the Old Trafford club will also need to fend off interest from the likes of Arsenal and Newcastle United.
Overall, however, it’s hard to deny signing Cunha has the potential to be a huge statement of intent for Amorim and a potentially game-changing signing and for that reason it’s a £62.5m gamble worth taking.