Even if Manchester United lift the Europa League trophy by beating Tottenham Hotspur, one match won’t mask what has been a truly dismal season for the club. From being Premier League royalty under Sir Alex Ferguson to sitting 16th in the table under Ruben Amorim—how the mighty have fallen.
Amorim was brought in to steady a ship already taking on water under Erik ten Hag, but instead of course correction, the Red Devils have sunk deeper into mediocrity. With that context, the upcoming transfer window looms as a make-or-break period for the club’s long-term ambitions.
The last thing they can afford is another summer of mediocrity and if that ensues, there is a good chance they would be resigned to fighting for a mid-table position for seasons to come.
Rome wasn’t built in a day but Man Utd is being built for a decade now. It has been more than 10 years since the legendary Ferguson has called it a day and since then, no manager has managed to win the Premier League title with the Red Devils.
The first piece of the jigsaw?
Man Utd need an open-heart surgery this summer. Amorim almost needs to operate like a puzzle master, trying to assemble pieces of his jigsaw together to try and build something that resembles a well-rounded squad. Currently, the team looks like a group of square pegs trying to occupy round holes.
The first piece of that jigsaw could turn out to be Wolves attacker Matheus Cunha. As per Goal Brazil journalist Valentin Furlan, the Red Devils are expected to wrap up the transfer of the Brazilian forward for a package deal of around €80m, €74m being the fixed-fee and the rest €6m coming as add-ons.
Matheus Cunha looks set to wear a Manchester United jersey next season
Matheus Cunha looks set to wear a Manchester United jersey next season
The journalist has also mentioned that Arsenal tried to make a late attempt to hijack Man Utd’s transfer of Cunha but that has been thwarted. The player is keen on making the move to Old Trafford happen and as often seen in the past, the player’s desire ends up being a pivotal factor.
Matheus Cunha won’t fix Manchester United overnight, but he could represent a crucial first step in reshaping the squad for Ruben Amorim’s system. At 25, with a breakout Premier League season behind him, he’s entering his prime and his profile fits the modern forward United desperately need.
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A club as storied as United shouldn’t be scraping by in 16th place and if Cunha is the beginning of a smarter, more strategic recruitment plan, perhaps a real rebuild can finally take root.