Matheus Cunha signs his Manchester United contract.
Manchester United wasted no time to secure Matheus Cunha's signature.
No team that finished inside the top half of the Premier League table in 2023/24 scored fewer goals than Manchester United.
United plundered an uninspiring 57 goals in 38 league games, meaning they finished the campaign with a negative goal difference of -1 after conceding 58 times.
United's response to finishing with a negative goal difference for the first time in the Premier League era was to sign five new players in the 2024 summer transfer window. However, four of them were defensive-minded operators.
Defenders Noussair Mazraoui, Leny Yoro and Matthijs de Ligt all arrived before the start of the 2024/25 Premier League campaign, before defensive-midfielder Manuel Ugarte checked in from Paris Saint-Germain on deadline day.
There was no denying United's defence and the base of their midfield needed strengthening after they had conceded 58 times in the previous league campaign, but to only sign Joshua Zirkzee to strengthen their attack was a disaster waiting to happen.
Zirkzee, who quickly demonstrated he was not the out-and-out No.9 United were in desperate need of last summer, had scored just 12 goals for Bologna in 2023/24. He was by no means an upgrade on Rasmus Hojlund, who had plundered a respectable 16 goals in his debut campaign at Old Trafford.
As a result of failing to beef up their attack, United's output decreased last season, resulting in them scoring a paltry 44 league goals. They conceded 54 to ensure they recorded a negative goal difference ten times bigger than the one they had registered 12 months earlier.
It is unforgivable for a club of United's stature to record a negative goal difference for two league campaigns running. For context, their tally of 101 league goals since the start of the 2023/24 campaign is only 15 fewer than what champions Liverpool scored on their way to winning the title in 2024/25.
United's attack has been in need of serious modification for some years, and last summer should have marked the juncture for long overdue changes to have been made. Instead, defensive signings were prioritised.
Ruben Amorim has prioritised attacking signings this summer. (Image: Darren Staples/AFP via Getty Images.)
Twelve months on, United are in the process of trying to make up for last summer's misjudgements. Matheus Cunha, fresh from scoring 17 goals for Wolves in all competitions last season, has arrived from Wolves for £62.5million and United remain determined to add Brentford ace Bryan Mbeumo to their ranks.
The Cameroonian, 25, plundered 20 Premier League goals last season, marking his best ever return in front of goal in a single season. Cunha scored 15 times in the league last term, meaning they were both among the division's top eight goalscorers last term.
Both players, as has been documented countless times in recent weeks, are Premier League proven and have respectable records in the English top flight. Cunha has been signed to occupy the left-sided No.10 spot in Ruben Amorim's 3-4-2-1 system and Mbeumo could operate from either the right-sided No.10 position or right wing-back.
It should be stressed United are yet to reach an agreement with Brentford for Mbeumo, who was the subject of a £55m bid from the Reds earlier this month, but they are still hopeful of making a breakthrough. He has informed confidants he wants to move to M16 this summer.
If United are successful in their efforts and Mbeumo is extracted from the Gtech Community Stadium, they will be two thirds of the way towards fixing their attack, with the addition of a centre-forward still a leading priority.
After getting a deal in place for Cunha on the opening day of the transfer window (June 1), United immediately increased expectation levels, meaning supporters would have hoped for more deals to follow quickly.
Matheus Cunha will add goals and creativity. (Image: Malcolm Couzens/Getty Images.)
The news vacuum of the past week or so, however, has highlighted that was never likely to be the case. Patience will be key.
The transfer window can be tricky to navigate, particularly in its early stages, and the upcoming profit and sustainability rules (PSR) deadline of June 30 is undoubtedly playing on the minds of several clubs.
But having signed Cunha, lodged a bid for Mbeumo and expressed their hunger to sign Liam Delap prior to him settling on a move to Chelsea, United have not lacked ambition at the start of the window. They want to move at speed and make up for last summer's mistakes.