Matheus Cunha has made a brilliant impact at Manchester United since his summer move but that might not have been the case a few years ago.
Ineos moved swiftly to complete a £62.5m deal for Matheus Cunha on the very first day of the summer transfer window.
Manchester United were linked with Matheus Cunha back in 2022 according to journalist Julien Laurens, but the Red Devils never finalised a deal for the Brazilian playmaker.
Cunha grew up as a United fan and described his summer move as a “dream”. He arrived and was given the iconic No.10 shirt, which comes with huge pressure.
So far, the 26-year-old is handling that pressure brilliantly, and Cunha recently opened up about how his experience has helped him mentally.
Matheus Cunha matured before joining Man United
In the summer window, Amorim bought Premier League-proven players to make sure signings were well-equipped to hit the ground running at Old Trafford.
Ruben Amorim on Matheus Cunha
Cunha is a maverick. Cunha does things that are hard to find in some players because he plays with the ball, but he has an aura that can do something to opponent’s heads and that is really important.
Ruben Amorim
Bryan Mbeumo and Cunha’s experience in the top flight has helped them seamlessly adapt to playing for United.
Cunha was called up to Brazil this month on the back of his exciting performances for United, and he spoke honestly about how he is much more mature compared to previous years.
Speaking at a press conference, quoted by Geglobo, Cunha said: “I think every moment in life is an experience – both the positive and the negative ones – but what matters is showing that you’re growing.
“The way I see that period (missing out on the last World Cup) is as a negative experience, one that was very painful, but it definitely made me learn and become stronger today.
“So now I deal with frustration differently, and I deal with success differently too. I think I’ve become much more mature compared to the Matheus from three years ago.”
Matheus Cunha has what it takes to become a Man United icon
At 26 years old, Cunha has joined United ready to experience his prime years at Old Trafford.
Cunha is already a fan favourite at United, and he appears to be an extremely popular member of the dressing room as well.
READ MORE: Matheus Cunha relishing Man Utd challenge after five-game unbeaten run, ‘I’m so…’
Ever since his arrival, Cunha has been compared to Eric Cantona due to their ability to lead and lift players around them.
With Amorim now one year into his long-term project at United, in Cunha he has found a player he can build the team around.
Receive a digest of our best United content each week direct to your mailbox
