
Manchester United have made contact with Wolverhampton Wanderers to submit an opening offer to sign Matheus Cunha this summer.
Cunha has a release clause worth £62.5million ($84.4m), which United have asked to pay over five years rather than the required two, but Wolves expect the contractual requirements to be met.
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Personal terms are already in place and there is an expectation on all sides that agreements will be finalised for the forward to join United.
United have prioritised a move for the 26-year-old Brazil international and he is keen on the switch after two-and-a-half seasons at Molineux.
Cunha scored 17 goals in 36 matches across all competitions this season, the most productive campaign of his career despite missing six games cumulatively through suspension.
His 15 Premier League goals far exceed anyone in the United squad, with Bruno Fernandes and Amad ending the season joint-top of the club’s league scoring chart with eight. Strikers Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirzkee managed four and three respectively.
Cunha joined Wolves from RB Leipzig on loan in January 2023 before completing a permanent move for £43m that summer. He previously played for Atletico Madrid, Hertha Berlin and FC Sion, and has been capped 13 times by Brazil.
‘Versatility, creativity, and goalscoring ability’
Analysis by Mark Carey
Pushing his temperament to one side for a moment, there is little doubt that Cunha has been Wolves’ talisman this season. Having barely played as an out-and-out striker, a return of 15 Premier League goals shows how much he has shouldered the attacking responsibility to help his side stave off relegation.
Playing as a left-sided No 10, Cunha’s intelligence to drift into pockets of space will often mean that all attacking roads lead through the Brazil international. As well as his goal haul, no Wolves player created more open-play chances or generated a higher expected assists tally. Ideally, you would clone Cunha and play them both — one to craft the chance and the other to finish.
United have witnessed his cheeky, South American flair first-hand after Cunha’s Olimpico goal gave Wolves the lead in their Boxing Day clash this season. With Amorim’s side in desperate need of a player to stitch their attack together, Cunha could be the perfect player to link the midfield and forward line — particularly given that he is adept at playing in a 3-4-2-1 system.
Capable of playing anywhere across the front line, Cunha offers versatility, creativity, and goalscoring ability. The perfect combination for an elite forward.

Cunha was part of the Wolves side that won at Old Trafford in April (Matt McNulty/Getty Images)
Why is a new No 10 important for Amorim?
Analysis by Manchester United correspondent Laurie Whitwell
Cunha’s familiarity with that position behind the striker in a 3-4-2-1 formation enhances his appeal for United, who want adaptable players but also need new signings to hit the ground running.
His record against United inevitably colours perceptions too. He terrorised Erik ten Hag’s side when running from midfield on the opening day of the 2023-24 season and, of course, scored direct from a corner past Andre Onana at Molineux this term.
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Cunha’s ball-carrying is an important aspect to consider in an Amorim system. Usually, Amorim has a blend in his No 10s, one a creator, the other tasked with running beyond. Cunha could offer a bit of both, but his ability to go past opponents would add dynamism and, importantly, he can carry a scoring edge.
There may be questions about temperament given his bans for reactions against Ipswich Town and Bournemouth, and his work off the ball at Wolves left some staff wanting more. But he has 12 and 15 Premier League goals in consecutive seasons, after getting two in 17 games while on loan for half a campaign, which is proof of his pedigree.
(Top photo: Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)
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