Manchester United have been dealt a blow in their search for a striker this summer after Liam Delap made his transfer decision, and it could affect plans for Matheus Cunha.
It was an open secret that Man Utd wanted to sign Liam Delap, with his release clause of £30 million providing excellent value for money in a difficult striker market.
However, now that Delap has informed Utd that he’s moving to Chelsea, United will be forced to scamper and look around for alternatives.
Or, they could just change their plans for a player who already has one foot through the door. Their transfer activity seems to suggest that’s what they are thinking too.
Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images
Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images
Liam Delap effect on Matheus Cunha at Man Utd
The transfer window has always been a game of dominoes and a big one has just fallen for Man Utd with the rejection by Liam Delap.
That deal looked difficult the moment United failed to qualify for the Champions League and now that they’ve been dealt the hammer blow, it’s time to move forward with a flexible strategy.
Matheus Cunha has been signed already, a player who scored 15 goals in the league last season, a total that would make him United’s top scorer.
Interestingly, he scored all those goals playing as an attacking midfielder, where he “only” assisted six goals in addition.
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Clearly, he’s more of a clinical No. 10 than a creative one, and that is where the Delap rejection comes into the picture.
Cunha has a prior history of playing as a striker, starting all the way back when he was coming through the ranks in Brazil.
Now that Delap is moving to Chelsea, Viktor Gyokeres’ signing is unlikely, and Victor Osimhen is too expensive, it could be time to field Cunha as the No. 9.
Man Utd’s transfer activity suggests they’re open to doing that.
Man Utd targeting another attacking midfielder
With Cunha’s signing, and United having Bruno Fernandes, Amad, and Mason Mount in those attacking midfield spots, the natural next signing would be a striker.
However, it was recently reported that United are looking to buy another attacking midfielder.
That could mean that Amorim sees Amad’s long-term future at wing-back, or it could mean that United don’t view Cunha as a No. 10 at all.
After Delap’s rejection, the latter increasingly looks like a concrete possibility, with the club aiming to sell Garnacho to raise funds for a No. 10.
With Cunha as the prolific player who exceeded his xG this season, their next target could be a creative attacking midfielder to take the burden off of Fernandes and Amad’s shoulders.
Man Utd fans have assumed that Cunha is that guy, but the transfer activity plus recent developments suggest the club are thinking something else entirely.