Wolves star Matheus Cunha is looking increasingly likely to become Man United's first signing of the summer transfer window.
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Matheus Cunha in action for Wolves.
Matheus Cunha is likely to join Manchester United this summer.(Image: David Rogers/Getty Images.)
Barring any late snags or hiccups, Matheus Cunha is poised to become Manchester United's first signing of the summer transfer window.
United remain locked in talks with Wolves about how to structure the payments for his £62.5million release clause. Both United and Cunha are keen to get the deal done and there is a growing expectation it will be completed.
As reported by the Manchester Evening News last month, Cunha is "optimistic" about sealing a move to Old Trafford and strengthening the club's attacking options.
If everything goes according to plan, he is expected to slot straight into head coach Ruben Amorim's starting XI and occupy the left-sided No.10 berth. He is well-versed in a wing-back system from his time at Wolves, meaning it should be a seamless transition for the Brazilian.
In Cunha, United are attempting to recruit a luxury player who can make something happen in the blink of an eye. He was a joy to watch at times throughout the 2024/25 campaign and he contributed 17 goals and six assists across all competitions.
United will be hoping he can replicate similar numbers at Old Trafford and increase their attacking output. United have finished each of the last two Premier League campaigns with a negative goal difference.
Although his primary responsibility will be to score and create goals, Cunha will be expected to work tirelessly for the team out of possession. Amorim sets exceptionally high demands for his players to adhere to when they do not have the ball, urging them to press as much as possible.
Speaking last December, the United head coach said: "[It is] impossible to win the Premier League without a team that doesn't run. You can do a starting line-up with the best players on the planet, without running they also won't win.
"We have to run like mad dogs, if not we won't win. The problem is can they cope with that? If they are used to it in training, they will do it in games.
Ruben Amorim points out instructions from the Old Trafford touchline.
Ruben Amorim sets high demands for his players.
"They can improve. You cannot be faster, but you can run more in training. They are professional athletes. Every coach has a different method of pressing."
With that in mind, Cunha will have no choice but to alter one particular element of his game. Of the outfield players that played a minimum of 1,800 minutes in the Premier League this season, Cunha spent more time walking around the pitch than anyone else.
Data gathered by Opta shows that Cunha spent 77.1 per cent of his time on the pitch walking. The rest of the Premier League's top five 'walkers', interestingly, were all centre-backs, with the Brazilian being joined at the top of the table by Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk (76.6%), Nottingham Forest's Murillo (74.3%, Ezri Konsa of Aston Villa (74.2% and fellow Forest star Ola Aina (73.8%).
Of course, it can and will be argued that Cunha makes up for that slight downside to his game with his goals and creativity, which is arguably much more important than how quickly he makes his way around the pitch. However, working tirelessly without the ball is a non-negotiable for Amorim.
The Portuguese's call for his players to "run like mad dogs" ought to serve as a warning to Cunha and urge him to transform one particular element of his play. If he can improve that, United will inherit an even better player.