Manchester United have bolstered their attack by signing 26 year old Brazilian forward Matheus Cunha from Wolves for a reported fee of £62.5 million, after United triggered the release clause. It’s no secret United have struggled to score goals the past two seasons and they look to have addressed the issue with the signing of Cunha who boasts 40 goal involvements in the past two seasons. Discover everything you need to know about what Cunha brings to Old Trafford with Red Devil Threads.
Matheus Cunha Background
Born in João Pessoa, a port city in northeastern Brazil, Cunha played youth football in Brazil nearby for Coritiba until the age of 18 when he made the move to Europe to join Swiss club Sion. Cunha stayed for one year playing 29 times scoring 10 goals sparking interest from Bundesliga clubs.
In June 2018 Cunha joined RB Leipzig on a five year deal. He scored on his Bundesliga debut against Hertha Berlin in a 3-0 win. He then scored against Bayer Leverkusen, a goal that won the Bundesliga Goal of the Month and was nominated for the FIFA Puskas Award alongside six goals in the UEFA Europa League.
Cunha then moved to Hertha Berlin in 202 playing 39 times and scoring 12 goals. In August 2021 Cunha then moved to Spain, signing for Atletico Madrid for fee reported at the time to be in the region of €30 million.
After a largely forgetful spell in Madrid, Cunha moved to Wolverhampton Wanderers, initially on loan. He made an immediate impact, scoring his first goal in March and gradually becoming a key attacking player. During the 2023–24 season, he netted 14 goals, including a memorable Premier League hat-trick against Chelsea. In the 2024–25 season, he continued to find the net consistently, helping Wolves climb out of the relegation zone with several important goals.
However, his time at the club also saw controversy, as he received a two-game ban and a fine for elbowing visiting club staff member in the back of the head, before reaching to the same man’s face and pulling his glasses off in December 2024. Despite this, he signed a contract extension in February 2025 including a release clause of £62.5 million which Man Utd triggered in June 2025.
Matheus Cunha’s Playing Style
A fiery character, Cunha brings flair, intelligence, and the drive to take control of games — qualities sorely lacking in United’s current attack. Predominantly a striker and inside forward, Cunha thrives when given the freedom to roam and likes to get the ball from deeper positions and carry it into advanced areas. He was a standout figure in Wolverhampton Wanderers’ attack consistently finding pockets of space and executing precise passes.
Where Will Matheus Cunha Fit In
Ruben Amorim is likely to continue his 3-4-3 formation, which has been a hallmark of his managerial style. Cunha has played in a Wolves side that predominantly used a back three system under both Gary O’Neil and Vitor Pereira and understands the system well. He is likely to slot into United’s front three spending a lot of the game in the left-sided 10 position.
United need someone brave enough to get the ball from defence into attack and the stats indicate that could be Matheus Cunha. The Brazilian international forward’s ability to carry the ball often results in a creating chances.
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