Manchester United are targeting a summer move for Wolverhampton Wanderers forward Matheus Cunha.
Following Anthony Martial’s announcement that he will be departing Old Trafford upon the expiry of his contract, the Red Devils are short of options upfront. They struggled for goals this past season, managing only 57 goals in 38 Premier League games as Erik ten Hag’s side finished eighth on the table. Only Rasmus Hojlund, Bruno Fernandes, Scott McTominay and Alejandro Garnacho reached double figures for the club in all competitions.
Manchester United has only two strikers in their squad now: Rasmus Hojlund and Marcus Rashford, and manager Erik ten Hag—whose future remains in limbo—wants another option before the 2024/25 campaign. Moreover, Rashford is mostly used as a wide-forward, which leaves Ten Hag with only Hojlund as an out-and-out No.9 in his squad.
£60million-rated Wolves forward Matheus Cunha has been reportedly eyed by Man United as they look to bolster their striker options. They are also interested in West Ham United star Mohammed Kudus.
Cunha, 25, was scouted extensively last season and is considered high on Man United’s list of targets. The Red Devils want to recruit the Brazilian international even though he has been at Wolves for only one-and-a-half season. The forward bagged 12 goals and seven assists in 32 Premier League outings, as the Wanderers finished 14th on the table.
Matheus Cunha to replace Anthony Martial at Man United?
Man United faced goalscoring problems last season, with Hojlund taking time to adapt to the rigours of Premier League football and Martial spending the majority of the campaign on the sidelines. Given that Hojlund is still young and developing, the 20-time English champions must bring in a new striker to avoid a potential burnout for the Dane.
Under the leadership of INEOS, the club are taking a new direction and changing their transfer policy. They are not keen to sign established players in their primes but will look to bring in talents under the age of 25. Wolves’ Matheus Cunha, in that regard, fits the bill perfectly.
Cunha had an eye-catching first full season in the Premier League after his £44million switch from Atletico Madrid last summer, following a loan spell where he helped Wolves maintain their top-flight status under former manager Julen Lopetegui. Pacey, aggressive and athletic, the Brazilian international would be a solid addition to Man United. He has also got the experience of Premier League football under his belt and would be a good option to cover and compete with Hojlund.
Wolves will resist any attempts to lose the 25-year-old, who is believed to be on around £60,000-a-week. But Man United are ready to offer Cunha a bumper contract and double his wages in a bid to persuade him to join INEOS’ revolution. It remains to be seen if the Mancunian heavyweights table an offer for Cunha in the coming weeks.
I am Rohan Sengupta from one of the busiest cities in India, Mumbai. A Journalism graduate with a keen interest in sports, football is something I simply cannot live without and writing, discussing and analyzing the game is what I do 24*7.
