Gary Neville has admitted that he is “excited” to see what one player can offer for Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim for the 2025-26 season at Old Trafford.
Manchester United endured a woeful 2024-25 campaign and the Red Devils finished in a lacklustre 15th place in the Premier League table under Ruben Amorim.
Amorim was unable to turn around United’s abysmal Premier League form after he left both his native homeland and his head coach role at Sporting CP in 2024.
The 40-year-old United manager arrived at the Premier League club last November and replaced former Ajax boss Erik ten Hag in the Old Trafford dugout.
Erik ten Hag was axed as United manager last October after the Red Devils’ poor start to the 2024-25 season and Amorim saw out the remainder of the campaign.
The Red Devils will be without European football for the 2025-26 campaign after the club’s Premier League standing and United’s failure to lift the Europa League trophy.
Gary Neville reacts to Man Utd’s major transfer swoop for Matheus Cunha from Wolves in the summer transfer window
Manchester United have wasted no time kicking off their transfer business with a major bang by landing Matheus Cunha from Premier League side Wolves.
Matheus Cunha has been linked with United in recent months and Amorim is a big fan of the 26-year-old Brazilian, who is under contract with Wolves until 2029.
United triggered Cunha’s £62.5m release clause in his Wolves contract and the Brazil international will be Amorim’s first major signing of the summer transfer window.
Speaking on The Overlap US’ ‘It’s Called Soccer!’ show, former United star Gary Neville said: “When your club signs a player, you should be excited. We know some of the players that play in his position are going to leave.
“We know that United haven’t had players in that position this season because [Marcus] Rashford, [Jadon] Sancho, Antony have all been put out on loan, [Alejandro] Garnacho is more than likely going to go with what’s happened in the last week.
“Cunha’s goals have been growing in the last couple of years. He had a decent return for a club that has been near the bottom of the Premier League [rather] than the top.”
Gary Neville drops his early verdict on Matheus Cunha at Man Utd and Ruben Amorim after Wolves transfer
Matheus Cunha has been tipped to suit Amorim’s tactical system for United and the Wolves ace will be a versatile threat for the Red Devils boss as an attacking option.
United legend Neville believes that Cunha could be the “spark” that United have needed and could “shine a light” for the Premier League club going into next season.
Speaking on Cunha, he added: “Am I excited? Yeah, I am excited by it because United need players who know the Premier League, have got a bit more robustness about them in terms of what they’ve been through before and being at Wolves… that’ll be tough because they lose quite a few matches.
“I’m hoping he comes to Old Trafford and sees this vast pitch, this amazing stadium, with 75,000 fans who love a player who can take someone on, someone who can travel with the ball.
“I’m hoping that he can shine a light. I’m not saying one player is going to change what’s going on at the moment, but one player can be a spark.”
Cunha played in 36 matches across all competitions for Wolves in the 2024-25 campaign and the Brazil forward netted 17 times and registered six assists.
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