Manchester United are confident of completing the Matheus Cunha deal as quickly as possible, with Fabrizio Romano delivering a big update and with details of the big-money transfer now coming to light, while Ruben Amorim has also been asked for his opinion on the signing.
The Red Devils are desperate to add more goals to their attack this summer after a meagre tally of just 38 goals in the Premier League so far this season – a tally only better than five other sides. And with fellow strugglers Tottenham even managing 61, it’s no surprise to see Manchester United on course for their first ever bottom-half finish in Premier League history.
To that end, Amorim hopes to sign two players to boost his attacking options this summer – a new No.9, with Liam Delap their prime target, and a No.10 to sit alongside Bruno Fernandes – which is where Cunha comes into play.
The Brazilian has enjoyed a phenomenal season on a personal level, enjoying 20 goal involvements from just 31 appearances, to almost single-handedly keep Wolves afloat in the Premier League.
However, with United now willing to trigger his £62.5m release clause, a deal to take the player to Old Trafford is rapidly edging closer.
And now a new update from transfer guru Romano has given United even greater optimism.
“Manchester United are making progress on a daily basis on the Matheus Cunha deal, Very positive conversations,” Romano said on his YouTube channel.
“Manchester United management, Ruben Amorim, who is fully involved in this process, they are all looking in the same direction.”
Romano continued: “The Champions League is not deal deal-breaker for the player.
“Matheus Cunha is still ready to accept the proposal from Manchester United. They need more, at least one more meeting, to fix some details. But my understanding is that United want to make it happen as soon as possible.”
TEAMtalk can reveal that Wolves are unwilling to compromise on the £62.5m fee in Cunha’s release clause, meaning United will need to meet the fee in full.
However, the Red Devils hope to negotiate a favourable payment structure over the 25-year-old – likely to be spread out over five years – and the length of contract they plan to offer the player.
In addition, the Daily Telegraph reports that United are prepared to make Cunha one of their highest earners, with wages of £200,000 a week – double the salary he currently picks up at Molineux.
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Amorim questioned over Cunha to Man Utd transfer
United plan to finance the deal – and his wages – by offloading a number of their own high-earners, with the likes of Jadon Sancho, Marcus Rashford, Antony, Christian Eriksen, Victor Lindelof and potentially Casemiro all moving on.
However, it is safe to say they are ready to put an enormous amount of trust in Cunha, proving the man to help transform their fortunes and there is now optimism
Romano did not offer any guarantees in terms of timeframe, but added: “I don’t expect Cunha to be a long saga, a deal for end of July, August, deadline day and all this sort. I think the Cunha deal will happen quite soon if all goes to plan.
“The conversation is very advanced, and the United are prepared to pay the £62.5m clause in instalments, and so are ready to approach Wolves and find a solution.”
Amorim was recently seen embracing Cunha during Wolves 1-0 win at Old Trafford last week, fuelling speculation a summer move is on the cards.
Now the 40-year-old coach has been asked for his opinion on the possible deal – and has typically tried to dodge the talk for now, though at the same time was not ruling it out.
“I could say this is a conversation for the end of the season, but I have an idea that is clear because we need to do things early,” he said, as per the Manchester Evening News.
“I will not say anything about Matheus because if I say one time, I will have to comment on every situation.
“I am focused on this season, and even in the next few games, could change our plan for next season.”
Man Utd transfer latest: Osimhen hopes OVER; elite Chelsea star wanted
Meanwhile, the decision to press ahead with a move for Delap means Victor Osimhen’s dream of playing in the Premier League next appears to be over.
As a result, Ben Jacobs – well connected in the Middle East – has explained to us why a move to Saudi Arabia now looks a concrete option for the Napoli striker, and with the club heavily favoured to win that race now coming to light.
Elsewhere, United will rival two other Premier League titans for the signing of Cole Palmer if he decides he wants to leave Chelsea in the near future, a well-connected journalist has claimed.
Palmer was born in Wythenshawe and grew up supporting United, though of course ended up joining the Manchester City academy as a youngster instead. He is now rated in the £85m bracket and speculation of late has suggested a move could be on the cards.
And finally, Rasmus Hojlund is another United player who looks likely to be on the move this summer and a stunning swap deal involving the Dane has seemingly been drawn up.
GO DEEPER: How Cunha fits in at Man Utd
By Samuel Bannister
After two-and-a-half seasons in the Premier League with Wolves, Cunha appears destined to take the next step of his career this summer. But after carving out a niche in a system built around him at Molineux, how would he adapt elsewhere?
A versatile attacker, Cunha’s ability to play in different positions could be a help or a hindrance when he fights for his place at his next club.
Most of his appearances this season have come in a No. 10 role, behind a main striker. There would be two roles of that sort up for grabs at Man Utd if Ruben Amorim sticks with his preferred 3-4-2-1 formation. And given that he has stuck with it while United have been struggling, it seems safe to assume he’ll remain faithful to that system after having the chance to cater his squad to it in the summer transfer market.
That’s why someone like Cunha is a key target. As a right-footer, he could comfortably operate in either of the no.10 roles, presumably the left-sided one, which is the flank he played on before back in his Bundesliga days with Hertha Berlin, cutting inside to score and create.
A glance at Cunha’s heat map (courtesy of SofaScore) this season shows his tendency to drift on the left-hand side, inside the opponent’s half. It could make him a perfect fit for a system with two no.10s, rather than just one central attacking midfielder.
But Cunha has also played as a centre-forward before. United are in the market for a new striker this summer due to the struggles of Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee, but depending on what movement happens there, Cunha could represent an option to lead the line. It’s not where his best form comes – he actually averages more goals as a no.10 – but it’s not totally alien to him either.
And in the unlikely event Amorim was to change United’s formation, Cunha could be a left winger in a 4-3-3 or a lone no.10 in a 4-2-3-1. As mentioned, though, 3-4-2-1 is the system to expect.
It would be most natural for Cunha to play in behind a striker, without the pressure of being the main goal getter but with the trust to contribute significantly in attack.
Despite usually occupying that supporting role for Wolves, he often breaks into the box for shots or plays a crucial pass from just outside it. The balance between the number of shots he takes from outside the box and inside the box is almost even, which implies his confidence and danger.
About 7% of his touches are in the opposition box, which is a proportion around double what United’s best attacking midfielder, Bruno Fernandes, manages (although Fernandes has sometimes had to play in a deeper midfield role). More than half of Cunha’s passes are in the opposition half, which even Zirkzee and Hojlund can’t say.
In short, Cunha is a player who can link up well in critical attacking areas and has a range of attributes that may benefit United, especially if he is deployed in his best position as a supporting striker.
