Matheus Cunha’s departure will rock Molineux this summer, but there’s another Wolves player who can step up to the plate in his absence.
Man United’s move for Cunha seems all but done, leaving Vitor Pereira with the onerous task of replacing the Brazilian this summer.
Wolves’ interest in Bilal El Khannouss suggests they are already compiling a list of possible replacements ahead of the transfer window.
The answer to the Cunha conundrum may already lie within the Wolves squad, though, with Jean-Ricner Bellegarde presenting himself as the perfect answer.
Photo by Hannah Fountain - CameraSport via Getty Images
Photo by Hannah Fountain – CameraSport via Getty Images
Matheus Cunha’s departure gives Jean-Ricner Bellegarde a chance
Having first joined the Molineux outfit in 2023, Bellegarde has had to wait for his chance at Wolves, and Cunha’s departure could now provide him with the ideal opportunity.
After just ten starts during his first Premier League campaign, the Frenchman has doubled that tally this season, making 35 appearances in total for Pereira’s side.
Premier League 24/25 stats Apps (starts) Goals Assists
Jean-Ricner Bellegarde 35 (20) 2 7
When given the chance, Bellegarde’s stats have been eye-watering, ranking alongside the likes of Kevin De Bruyne and Mohamed Salah.
The 26-year-old’s eye-catching performance against Everton back in March even led to some Wolves fans believing Bellegarde could replace Cunha in the number ten position.
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Bellegarde has been ‘amazing’ at points this season, and now seems like the perfect time to hand the Frenchman a shot at Molineux.
Bellegarde has hailed Vitor Pereira’s impact
When it comes to deciding whether the former Strasbourg man can fill the Cunha void, that decision will ultimately come down to the Wolves manager.
Luckily for Bellegarde, it seems like he has struck up a good relationship with Pereira.
When speaking on the Portuguese’s impact since arriving at Molineux, Bellegarde had this to say:
“First of all, I think being a coach in that situation is hard. He came into a difficult situation because we were a team that lacked confidence,” the 26-year-old told the Wolves website back in April.
“But he managed to come in and give confidence to the players, he imposed his will to win, and he passed his strong desire to win on to the team, and that led to better results.
“It was a breath of fresh air and obviously, we got the results afterwards, and he has helped the players believe in themselves again.”