Manchester United have announced the signing of Brazilian forward Matheus Cunha.
Matheus Cunha arrives at Manchester United as the club’s first major signing of the summer transfer window.
After a disastrous 2024/25 campaign for United, Ruben Amorim will be eager to improve his squad by adding goals to the team.
That is why United have signed Cunha, with the Brazilian international scoring 17 goals and registering six assists for Wolves this term.
The arrival of Cunha, 25, means that there will be more competition for places. It will be good news for some players, but others could get less game time or be sold as a result.
Without further ado, let’s take a look at the winners and losers from Cunha’s move to Old Trafford.
Winners from Matheus Cunha deal
Ruben Amorim: The United head coach didn’t get any forward players in the January transfer window, despite letting Antony and Marcus Rashford leave on loan for the remainder of the season.
United fans will want more attack-minded players, but Amorim is getting a quality player who has proven himself in the Premier League.
Not only does it mean Amorim has more options moving forward, he has also brought in a player who will improve the first team tenfold.
The Portuguese head coach will be delighted to get a deal for Cunha over the line early in the transfer window. United are still adapting to Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 system, and they’ve signed a player who has thrived in that formation at Wolves.
Bruno Fernandes: An overreliance exists at United when it comes to Bruno Fernandes. The United captain will benefit from having Cunha in the team because it means Amorim will have an attack-minded player willing to take responsibility.
Cunha is a maverick. He is ready to prove to the world that he can perform at the highest level for a big club like United.
Like Fernandes, Cunha creates goals and scores goals. He can help take the workload from Fernandes next season.
Amad Diallo: The reason is similar to Fernandes because United are crying out for more players to contribute in attack. Amad Diallo has emerged as a star player at United this season, and he will be excited about the prospect of being joined by another quality player.
Cunha is as good a creator as he is a finisher, so that will also help Amad, who has often had to create goals for himself.
Ineos: The final winner from the Cunha deal is Ineos.
Most of the signings made by United’s partial owners so far have involved exciting youngsters, but at 25 years old, Cunha is coming with more experience.
Ineos need to find players who are hungry for success, with the right mentality to play for United.
After a disappointing spell at Atletico Madrid between 2021-2023, this is Cunha’s biggest chance to prove himself at a big club. United will be doing background checks to ensure his character is what the dressing room needs.
Losers from Matheus Cunha deal
Alejandro Garnacho: Cunha’s arrival could spell trouble for Alejandro Garnacho.
Amorim has reportedly told Garnacho to find a new club, which suggests that Cunha is going to be his replacement in the team.
It has been questioned whether Garnacho is suited to Amorim’s preferred system and he only came off the bench for a brief cameo as United lost 1-0 against Tottenham in the Europa League final.
| Games | Goals | Assists |
| 58 | 11 | 10 |
Moreover, Cunha has made more goal contributions than Garnacho this season.
Vitor Pereira: Nobody at Wolves will be affected by Cunha’s departure as much as manager Vitor Pereira.
Wolves will be happy with the fact they’ve made a profit on the player, but Pereira has lost one of his stars, after helping the team steer away from the relegation zone.
It won’t be easy for Wolves to replace Cunha’s goals, but that is not something United need to worry about.
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