Why £62.5m Forward’s Transfer to Manchester United Raises Big Questions | OneFootball

Manchester United’s Gamble on Cunha May Be a Stroke of Fortune

“I’ve made it clear that I need to take the next step,” Matheus Cunha told the Guardian in March. “I want to fight for titles, for big things. I have potential.”

That ambition has now propelled Cunha to one of world football’s most scrutinised stages – Manchester United. The £62.5 million move from Wolves sees the Brazilian swap one club that narrowly avoided the drop for another that is struggling to remember its own glory. While both clubs ended last season in the Premier League’s bottom six, only United could offer Cunha the badge of prestige he so clearly craves, even if the substance behind it is increasingly in question.

Photo: IMAGO

Twelve years without a league title. A record-low top-flight campaign. No European football. And yet, Manchester United remain a club that players still view as the game’s elite. Cunha, at 26 and reaching his physical peak, believes in the badge, the opportunity, and perhaps the legacy he could carve at Old Trafford.

Legacy Over Logic?

Manchester United’s fall from dominance has been well documented. Last season was their worst since 1973-74 and they ended 42 points adrift of champions Liverpool. While Arne Slot’s Reds, Arsenal, Manchester City, Chelsea, Newcastle, and Tottenham gear up for Champions League football next term, United will watch Europe from the outside for the second time in five seasons.

Still, the allure of United endures. “Despite a lowly league finish and absence of European football next season, BBC Sport understands Cunha still views United as a big club – and that the player does not look at it as a risk.”

Rather than shrinking from the size of the challenge, Cunha is energised by it. A natural competitor, he sees revival as opportunity. “There is a feeling the move makes sense for all parties.”

United get a ready-made attacker with Premier League experience, Wolves cash in with £60 million to reinvest, and Cunha gets the stage. But the wider context matters. United have scored just 44 league goals in 2024-25, the lowest in their Premier League history. For Ruben Amorim to succeed in his debut campaign as manager, offensive reinforcements were not just desirable, they were essential.

Rebuilding Begins with Flair and Fire

Cunha fits a pressing need at Old Trafford. With Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho potentially leaving this summer, and links to Liam Delap and Bryan Mbeumo yet to materialise, United were at risk of entering a new season with a threadbare frontline. In Cunha, they gain a player who not only contributes goals but links play and opens defences.

His record is quietly impressive: 27 goals in 65 Premier League games across two seasons. “Cunha has everything a United team would want,” Fara Williams told BBC Sport. “You cannot question the qualities he possesses and the attitude he has in-game in terms of wanting to do anything to win.”

Cunha’s attributes – movement, creativity, finishing – made him the focal point of Wolves’ attack. His versatility, playing primarily as a left-sided number 10 but comfortable as a striker, gives Amorim tactical options. He drifts into pockets, drops deep to link play, and drives at defenders with confidence. In 2024-25, he scored six times from outside the box and registered 51 shots on target – both identical tallies to Bruno Fernandes, United’s current talisman.

Equally impressive, he equalled the record for most goals by a Brazilian in a Premier League season, sharing the accolade with Roberto Firmino (2017-18) and Gabriel Martinelli (2022-23).

Temperament and Tenacity: The Double-Edged Sword

But talent is not the only trait Cunha brings. So too comes the intensity – and sometimes the volatility – that has punctuated his time in England. Some at Wolves were left unimpressed by his temperament. His red card against Bournemouth in March – after lashing out at Milos Kerkez and attempting a headbutt – led to suspension. Earlier, he had served a two-match ban for an altercation with Ipswich Town staff.

“There have been a couple of incidents this season around Matheus Cunha’s character that would make you pause,” said Observer correspondent Rory Smith. “Two fairly spectacular tantrums, is tantrums the right word? If you are Arsenal or whoever and you have got three or four striking targets… that is going to be a giant cross.”

Those moments may have cost Cunha a place at a Champions League club. Arsenal were reportedly interested in January but opted against making a move. Others in the Premier League’s top seven hesitated too. In the end, it was Manchester United or a move to Saudi Arabia.

Chris Sutton, however, offered a different perspective. “It’s not a question mark. It’s like saying don’t sign Wayne Rooney back in the day.”

Perhaps, as Williams suggests, Cunha’s frustrations are more about his surroundings than his nature. “Being in a relegation battle for long periods and playing alongside players you are better than” could easily wear on an ambitious mind. “Cunha would bring a big boost to United,” she added. “If they were to recruit other players alongside him, I think you would see that frustration a lot less.”

Bigger Club, Bigger Stakes

For all the concerns, this is a player who has delivered consistently in one of the toughest leagues in the world. He has left behind the unhappiness of his time at Atlético Madrid and flourished since moving to the Midlands in 2022. His transformation from loanee to talisman was swift, and Wolves reaped the benefits. Even when suspended, they adapted, collecting 10 points from four games in his absence.

Now, Manchester United are counting on him to lead a new era. And perhaps, this is where Cunha’s story enters its defining chapter. In the absence of continental competition, United will hope to build domestically. Amorim’s revolution at Old Trafford needs a figure to ignite it – someone who brings fire, finesse and, crucially, belief.

Cunha has all the tools. Whether he can tame the passion that sometimes boils over, and whether United can build a coherent system around him, will determine the success of this marquee move.

In an era where reputation can no longer mask decline, this deal is a test of both faith and ambition. Manchester United are not just signing a player – they are investing in redemption.