Matheus Cunha sends clear Man United message: momentum builds for a summer switch

Matheus Cunha’s on-air line about bringing Manchester United “back to the glory days” reads like a green light. Inside United, his profile - press, carry, combine - has been admired for months, and his Wolves form last season proved scalable at the top level. Fans are already leaning in, from banners at Old Trafford to calls for more signings with his intensity. From a squad-building view, Cunha fits as a hybrid 9 who can play with or instead of a traditional striker, link Bruno Fernandes and wide runners, and trigger the press. This one has the right football logic and timing.

Pre-match broadcast interview ahead of Manchester United vs Everton at Old Trafford, plus ongoing recruitment discussions within the English market about United’s forward targets this summer.

🚨🗣️Matheus Cunha: "United for me is a club that needs to be on top. So, ‘what’s your ambition with the team’? Easy. To bring back the glory days of the club." [@footballontnt]

@UtdXclusive

Impact Analysis

Cunha solves three problems United have flagged in internal reviews since last season: a) ball-carrying into the final third against set defenses, b) first-line pressing consistency, and c) a second scorer to relieve streak dependency. At Wolves, Cunha operated as a 9.5, dropping between lines to connect midfield to the front while still attacking the box. In 2023-24 he posted double-digit Premier League goals and a healthy shot-creation profile from carries. Public data placed him in the top quartile of PL forwards for progressive carries per 90 and defensive pressures in the final third - exactly the blend United’s attack has lacked when game state turns cagey.

Tactically, picture triangles on the left with Luke Shaw and Marcus Rashford, or on the right with Diogo Dalot and Bruno Fernandes. Cunha can receive on the half-turn, commit a center-back, and either slip the runner or punch into the box. With Rasmus Hojlund, he can alternate roles: one pins, one roams. United often lose fluency when the 9 is marked out. Cunha’s mobility keeps the structure fluid.

Financially, Wolves traditionally demand a premium for prime-age stars, but United’s post-INEOS recruitment is built around paying for certainty. A fee in the mid-to-high bracket is realistic if staggered through add-ons. From a dressing-room standpoint, Cunha’s work rate and unselfish movements should raise pressing standards and reduce the spacing issues that exposed United in transition last year. Net: fit is strong, upside is immediate, and the risk profile is acceptable.

Reaction

United fans read the line as intent, not lip service. One banner-maker even boasted a “United>England” flag ready for Old Trafford, a playful jab that doubles as a demand for club-first mentality. The replies split into two familiar camps. Optimists: “We need players like him” and “signing him was great business” - a nod to the Wolves move that unlocked his confidence and the hat-trick at Stamford Bridge many still cite as proof of big-stage temperament. Realists fired back: “Then play like you mean it,” pushing for end product and consistency under lights like Monday Night Football.

Across supporter channels I track, the consensus is pragmatic. Cunha’s hybrid profile is valued more than a pure poacher because it helps Bruno and the wingers reach better shot locations. There’s also quiet relief that United are targeting a forward who runs as hard off the ball as on it. Even neutral comments around the Everton fixture framed it as an audition. If he keeps his output steady, the fanbase will meet a premium fee with patience. If he dips, the same voices will flip to “we dodged a bullet.” That’s the temperature right now.

Social reactions

He's been saying this since he arrived, indeed signing him was great business. More like him please. GGMU

G.COLE❤🇳🇬🇳🇬🇿🇦.... Godson❤️ (@Coleheart123)

We need players like him

Bonna.btc🧪🧸 (@BonnaBtc695)

Then play like you mean it and banger goals like every other attacking players.

KING ARTHUR 👑 (@KINGARTHUR77861)

Prediction

Expect United to advance this in stages. First, soft-soundings around valuation and clauses, testing Wolves’ flexibility on add-ons tied to appearances and European qualification. Second, alignment on role: United view Cunha as a rotational starter who can share minutes with Hojlund and operate off either flank. That clarity matters for the player’s camp. Personal terms are unlikely to be a barrier given age profile and Premier League status.

On fee structure, a package in the £55m-£70m zone with performance add-ons makes sense in the current PSR climate. United can offset through outgoing sales and wage trimming. Timing leans summer rather than a mid-season scramble. Competitive tension may surface from continental clubs needing a mobile 9.5, but United’s project and the player’s own comment tilt the odds toward Old Trafford if valuation is respected.

On the pitch, projection models I run suggest Cunha adds 0.15-0.20 non-penalty xG+xA per 90 to United’s attack simply by improving entries into the box and first-phase press recoveries. That is the marginal gain that flips tight home draws. If negotiations stay clean, this reads as a high-likelihood move.

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Conclusion

I watched Cunha’s breakout at Wolves from the press gantry and the pattern was obvious: he changes tempo, not just positions. United have chased that trait for years. His line about restoring the glory days is more than PR. It matches a recruitment need that the new sporting structure has been modeling since last spring.

There are always risks. Price, adaptation to role-sharing, and the expectation tax at Old Trafford. But the football case is strong. He creates advantages before the pass, by receiving under pressure and forcing defensive rotations. That helps United stop playing in straight lines.

Add the cultural fit - high work rate, Premier League proven, personality that doesn’t shrink on big stages - and the deal feels aligned with what INEOS promised: targeted quality with clear tactical utility. If United move decisively and structure the fee smartly, Cunha is the kind of signing that makes the attack coherent from week one.