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Wolverhampton Wanderers are expected to receive a record transfer fee this summer.
Matheus Cunha has admitted he wants to leave Wolves this summer as he’s ready to move on in a bid to fight for trophies elsewhere.
The Brazilian forward has become immensely popular at Molineux and he’s been absolutely pivotal to the Old Gold’s rise away from the Premier League relegation zone, scoring goals in six of the club’s seven victories this season. All good things come to an end, though, and it’s unfortunately clear that Cunha is levels above where Wolves are currently lingering.
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Having enjoyed his best campaign to date with 15 goals and four assists in 29 appearances across all competitions, Cunha has unsurprisingly gained the interest of elite clubs around Europe. Transfer speculation has been rife as a result and the only reason he didn’t depart in January, it turns out, was because he didn’t want to leave Wolves in the lurch.
Relegation was a real possibility at the turn of the year as Wanderers had won just two of their opening 16 Premier League matches under Gary O’Neil. Vitor Pereira has helped turn the tide - and as has Cunha - with a further five victories added in the 13 games since then.
In an interview with The Guardian, Cunha has revealed he’s now comfortable thinking ahead to his next transfer with Wolves nine points clear of the bottom three. “Now, we’re close to achieving our goal [of staying up]. But I’ve made it clear that I need to take the next step. I want to fight for titles, for big things. I have potential,” Cunha said.
Cunha forever thankful to Wolves
Despite issuing a rather public come-and-get-me plea, Cunha has so much respect for Wolves and the club’s supporters. The 25-year-old had been struggling for regular starts at his previous club, Atletico Madrid, as he racked up just 1,422 La Liga minutes in two seasons. He was a troubled soul in need of some love and attention, and that’s exactly what Wolves were able to provide.
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“Sometimes all we want in life is affection,” Cunha continued. “People think we have everything, but we’re human beings, too. We need a bit of understanding – we have our difficulties.
“Wolves gave me that joy back. The fans [have given] me a lot. The status I have today, the player I am now and the happiness I’m feeling, it’s because of them. I’m really grateful to Wolves.
“I had a lot of offers but I wouldn’t feel well if I had done it. Some things you can’t control but I couldn’t leave the club in the middle of the season, in a difficult situation, in the relegation zone.”
It awaits to be seen just where Cunha’s future may lie but Premier League clubs Arsenal and Liverpool are understood to have been monitoring his situation. Nottingham Forest are still keen, too, with a potential Champions League qualification helping their case. Then there are the likes of Napoli, AC Milan and Paris Saint-Germain, all keen to get in on the act.
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Wolves are powerless in this situation as Cunha’s latest contract extension - signed in February - includes a £62.5 million release clause, active from July. Wanderers knew they would lose their talisman sooner rather than later, however, and just getting him to commit until the end of the season was an achievement.
Whatever happens next, Cunha has certainly made his mark at Wolverhampton Wanderers.