Matheus Cunha of Wolverhampton Wanderers celebrates scoring his team's fourth goal during the Premier League match between Wolves and Tottenham
Matheus Cunha could be the perfect fit at Manchester United under Ruben Amorim if the Wolves forward moves to Old Trafford
Manchester United could possibly avoid paying Matheus Cunha's £62.5million release clause thanks in part to their great rivals Liverpool.
The Brazilian ticks plenty of boxes for Ruben Amorim so it's easy to see why there is so much interest from Old Trafford to wrap up a deal. Cunha would fit perfectly into Amorim's 3-4-2-1 formation alongside Bruno Fernandes as one of two No. 10s. The 25-year-old can also play as a centre-forward with his 15 Premier League goals this season offering a much greater attacking threat than United's current options in that position.
And yet, the result of Wednesday's Europa League final against Tottenham Hotspur could change everything. United's precarious PSR position would further restrict their spending if they miss out on qualifying for the Champions League.
Spending £60m plus for a player would eat up a huge chunk of their summer transfer budget, even if they secure a place in Europe's elite competition. If they don't, it will only shrink that tight budget further, even with the potential sales of Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Anthony.
But Wolves' reported interest in Liverpool forward Harvey Elliott may open the door for a cheaper Cunha deal. It is said that Vitor Pereira's team are looking for a new No. 10 to fill the inevitable void Cunha's exit would leave.
If they do sign Elliott, Cunha would rightly point out that his team have a ready-made replacement, putting Wolves under greater pressure to sell. An opportunity could then arise for United to sign the Brazil international for a cheaper fee than his hefty release clause.
Matheus Cunha at Manchester United's Old Trafford stadium before a Wolves game (Image: Wolves via Getty Images)
Furthermore, PSR rules state that clubs’ cumulative losses over a rolling three-year period cannot exceed £105m. The Athletic report that Wolves’ have had a total loss of £127.6m over the last three years which exceeds the limit, even after the sales of Ruben Neves and Matheus Nunes in recent seasons.
The report adds that Wolves have around £15m of PSR ‘headroom’ which should see them avoid a breach. However, their position has been heavily influenced by player sales - another situation which could play into United's hands.
Add in the fact that Cunha appears to be extremely keen on a move to M16, and United may be able to sign a vital player for Amorim in a cut-price deal. It's a situation which the Old Trafford hierarchy will be hoping for with little room for error in a monumental summer for the club.
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