Matheus Cunha represents a sensational start to Manchester United’s transfer window but, in the aftermath of a miserable Premier League campaign, the Wolves talisman remains only one piece of the jigsaw.
Albeit, of course, a pretty sizeable piece. One which should see the proverbial picture become a whole lot clearer for Manchester United under Ruben Amorim.
Fabrizio Romano claims that Matheus Cunha will become a Man United player when the season officially ends this coming weekend. The Red Devils are set to trigger the £62.5 million release clause in the Brazilian’s Wolverhampton Wanderers contract.
But while Cunha provides Amorim with another stellar attacker – he should certainly ease the crushing pressure on Bruno Fernandes’ shoulders – there is surely a limit to how much progress Man United can make next term without a considerable upgrade in the number nine position.
According to reports, Ipswich Town’s Liam Delap is Man United’s number one target for the centre-forward spot. However, interest from Chelsea complicates matters.
Furthermore, there are suggestions that Delap is prioritising a switch to a Champions League club. Thus, piling even more pressure on Wednesday’s potentially make-or-break Europa League final.
Hugo Ekitike of Eintracht Frankfurt is an alternative, albeit a very expensive one. The Bundesliga outfit value the silky Frenchman at £85 million, although having sold Omar Marmoush to Man City for much less in January one suspects there will be considerable room for manoeuvre in any negotiations.
Photo by Alex Grimm/Getty Images
Photo by Alex Grimm/Getty Images
Frankfurt open Hugo Ekitike door as Manchester United consider striker options
Frankfurt opted not to stand in Marmoush’s way when City came calling. Their entire model is built around giving a platform to exciting young talents, while also promising that they will be afforded the chance to move onto bigger things should the opportunity arise.
More United News
Sporting director Markus Krosche reiterated as much when asked about Ekitike’s future in midweek.
“If a player develops faster than us, then we let him go,” Krosche tells Sport1. “Hugo is an exceptional player who played a major role in our qualification for the Champions League [but] he certainly still has a lot of potential for development.
“He’s only 22 years old.”
Formerly of Paris Saint-Germain – Ekitike turned down a move to Newcastle United on numerous occasions before joining the French champions from Stade Reims – the France Under-21 international ended the 2024/25 campaign with 22 goals across all competitions.
Owen Hargreaves calls Ekitike ‘the perfect centre-forward’
An excellent link-man and a mobile, intelligent operator both in and out of possession, Ekitike’s impressive tally of 12 assists proves he is as much a creator as he is a taker of chances.
Given his physical profile and his elegant, velvet-toed playing style, there are certainly similarities with one Joshua Zirkzee, albeit Ekitike is far more of a natural goalscorer than Man United’s number eleven.
Former United midfielder Owen Hargreaves watched Ekitike sweep home a wonderful finish against Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League quarter-finals.
“The thing that impresses me about him, even in the warm-up, the size of him and technically, he’s very good. His link-up play is really good, he’s a great finisher, he’s got everything,” Hargreaves said after that 1-1 first leg draw in North London.
“He looks like the perfect centre forward.
“If you think about the best of the best, England and France have some of the best young talents in the world. They played about a month ago, our England Under-21 team is brilliant, [but Ekitike] he scored a hat-trick.
“He’s at an incredible level already. He’s gone to PSG, he’s at Frankfurt, he’s going to go right to the top.”