Manchester United are finally working under a sound and long-term transfer strategy but as per Rio Ferdinand, one signing hasn’t been made with that reason.
So far, Manchester United have signed Matheus Cunha in the market, with a deal for Enzo Kana-Biyik also agreed but he’s yet to officially arrive.
Then there’s Diego Leon in the same boat, with Leon’s Man Utd deal agreed back in January but the Paraguayan left-back set to arrive this summer.
Rio Ferdinand has said that of all these players, Cunha is the one United have signed because he left ‘horror marks’ at Old Trafford.
Rio Ferdinand on Matheus Cunha signing at Man Utd
Ferdinand has been prone to giving some pretty bold statements about Man Utd’s transfer strategy.
For example, Ferdinand being against Viktor Gyokeres’ transfer has generated a lot of discussion, as has his fondness for Victor Osimhen.
Add his latest statement on Cunha’s transfer to the list of bold takes.
Speaking to TalkSport, Ferdinand says that United are shopping in the tier of players just below the elite after underperforming for a long time.
Cunha is an example of a player being signed because he did well against United, with the club management likely having a memory of that display while doing the deal.
He said: “There’s still a level that Man United are having to buy at that’s different to what we’ve seen in years gone by, but I think he’s [Cunha] a very good signing.
“I think sometimes there’s players that get bought based on how they play against you. He played against Man United at Old Trafford and absolutely tore United up and I think he left horror marks at Old Trafford after that game.”
Cunha’s signing isn’t based on a single game
While Cunha’s performance was silky and impressive when he faced United at Old Trafford, it would be an extreme simplification to say that was why he was signed.
Cunha scored 15 goals in the Premier League, his second-consecutive season in the league where he crossed double figures.
He did so while playing in a team that wasn’t settled under a single manager, routinely flirted with relegation, and didn’t create much outside of his own influence.
The character and personality it takes to thrive in a team like that, plus doing it in the Premier League at a position and formation like Ruben Amorim’s, are just a few of the reasons why Cunha was signed.
Jason Wilcox also raved about Cunha’s traits which he will bring to the team. That speaks of a clear, long-term strategy under which the transfer has been executed.
Cunha’s performance against Man Utd would have definitely helped because it showed the occasion doesn’t scare him, but it is hardly why he’s been bought.
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