Cunha not enough: Man Utd must sign this ‘wizard’ to replace departing Garnacho – (Opinion) | OneFootball

Manchester United have already snapped up a ready-made replacement for Alejandro Garnacho, but another creative force is needed in the final third.

While neither move is official yet, all top sources agree that Matheus Cunha is on the verge of finalising his transfer to Old Trafford, with Wolverhampton collecting the value of his release clause, which is £62.5 million.

Moreover, it has been confirmed on Saturday by David Ornstein and Fabrizio Romano that Ruben Amorim has already made his decision to axe Garnacho from his plans for next season following the back-and-forth debacle sparked by the winger’s dissatisfaction with his limited role in the Europa League final.

But with the Argentinian expected to depart, the Red Devils would be left with limited options for the two Number 10 roles, especially since Amorim seems intent on playing Bruno Fernandes in a deeper role.

Alejandro Garnacho has been told to leave United

(Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

Cunha and Amad Diallo are tipped to claim a starting berth, but there isn’t much behind them. Mason Mount has the manager’s full support, but he let him down in the UEL final, while his ability to stay away from the treatment table remains questionable at best.

Meanwhile, Kobbie Mainoo has yet to find his ideal place in Amorim’s system, and he could follow his friend Garnacho to the exit door, while Joshua Zirkzee is more of a wild card than a genuine attacking midfielder.

In recent days, Romano noted that United could be looking to sign another No.10 in addition to Cunha, and with a swift glance at the current attacking department, this might be a necessity rather than a luxury, even for a club that doesn’t play in Europe.

While the identity of this potential new addition remains shrouded in mystery, perhaps most signs point towards Rayan Cherki, the Olympique Lyonnais star who enjoyed a sensational campaign, with Man Utd witnessing his trickery and wizard-like skills first-hand.

Why Rayan Cherki would be perfect for Man Utd

Although the 21-year-old’s exploits weren’t enough to beat the Red Devils in the surreal Europa League quarter-final, they might prove enough to earn him a move to Old Trafford.

The Frenchman has a contract for another year, but his latest contract renewal apparently included a gentleman’s agreement that would allow him to leave this summer for a relatively low fee.

Therefore, Cherki wouldn’t only be the ideal profile for Amorim’s system in terms of skills and talent, but also the perfect profile for INEOS who are unlikely to find a better player for such a relatively low cost, with some suggesting his asking price to be as low as €30 million.

Moreover, Cherki may have had his issues in the past, but that is only good news for Man Utd, as we’re talking about a man who has already gone through this agonising stage of his young career and overcame it, and is now fully focused on fulfilling his early promise and beyond.