I dented Arsenal’s title hopes – now I could be on my way to Manchester Unitedplaceholder image
I dented Arsenal’s title hopes – now I could be on my way to Manchester United | Getty Images
A young forward who is impressing in the Premier League could be on the move in the next transfer window - with Manchester United and Liverpool linked.
Wolves fans haven’t had too many reasons to smile this season, but their late comeback against Arsenal on Wednesday night was one of them – and one of the engineers of that result, young forward Mateus Mané, has been another. His time at the Molineux could be brief, however.
It was Mané’s cross into a crowded penalty area which ultimately led to Wolves’ equalising goal, and it isn’t the first time that the 18-year-old has had an impact. It was he who scored one of Wolves’ goals against West Ham, still their only league win of the season, and who equaliser earned them a rare point against Everton. His star is rising – and other Premier League team are taking notes.
Why Mateus Mané has shone in a struggling team
The Portugal-born forward, who represents England at Under-18 international level, has enjoyed an explosive start to his career at the top level of the game. Nine months after he made his senior debut for Wolves, he has had already made a significant impact in several matches and demonstrated a fearless style of play which has made him perhaps Wolves’ most adventurous and effective attacking player.
Since making his Premier League debut against Brighton & Hove Albion at the very end of the 2024/25 season, no player in the top flight has completed more successful dribbles than Mané despite the fact that he only made his first league start for the club in late December. His dynamism and boundless energy has stood out from the start.
The same energy which makes him so threatening in the final third also extends to his work off the ball, and even in the game against Arsenal, when he wasn’t at his sparkling best until that crucial cross in the dying minutes, he forced seven turnovers of possession – a typical number which one would more normally associate with a defensive midfielder.
Mané’s game has areas which need polish, and while his enthusiasm for taking shots on means he has more attempts on goal per game than any of his team-mates, he perhaps needs to learn when to take his chances and when to play a pass. Better, however, to have his apparent conviction in his abilities than to be excessively timid.
His bravery and work rate have made him one of this season’s standout young players, and the inevitable consequence of that has been growing interest from rival sides – especially with Wolves in deep danger of going down to the Championship. But if he does leave the Molineux this summer, where will he end up?
Manchester United & Liverpool among sides taking notice of Mané’s talents
As Mané’s star continues to rise in inverse proportion to that of his club, Manchester United are both among the teams interested in investigating the possibility of signing him this summer – and TeamTalk claim that both sides are “planning to meet with him” in order to persuade him that his future lies away from the Black Country.
The report suggests that Manchester United are perhaps the more keen of the two, with sources apparently suggesting that the Red Devils view Mané as an “interesting option” for the summer.
As it stands, there is no word on the kind of transfer fee which may be required to sign him, but it’s becoming increasingly difficult to see him staying should Wolves go down – unlike most talented players of his age, he has already demonstrated that he can cut it in the top flight, and there is less reason for him to stay put to prove himself and learn his trade.
The only hope Wolves might have is the possibility that Mané would only consider leaving for regular first-team football, something he may not find easy to come by at Old Trafford or Anfield – but they are also likely to be able to offer him a significant uptick in salary.
There is no reason to believe that other sides won’t be taking notes and adding Mané to their shortlists ahead of the next transfer window, nor any evidence that United or Liverpool have formalised their interest in any way. Much may change between now and the end of the season. Whatever happens, however, the odds are that he could be back to torment Arsenal again next year, with one team or another.
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