Man Utd suffer blow in pursuit of long-term transfer target

Suraj Radia

• 1 Dec 2024 12:30 GMT
• 3 min read

Manchester United could face a blow in the pursuit of one of Ruben Amorim’s potential signings after it was revealed that one of the club’s long-term targets could be set to sign a new contract.

United have yet to formalise transfer plans under Amorim but it is believed that a forward is high on the priority list, along with a left-back and a midfielder.

Only three teams have scored fewer goals than United this season and there may be a desire to pursue a Premier League-proven striker after the struggles to adapt for the likes of Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee.

MAN UTD TRANSFER NEWS TODAY: Amorim January plan CONFIRMED, Osimhen SWAP, Cunha BOMB

One player who United had previously pursued is Matheus Cunha and the Brazilian is having a strong season for strugglers Wolves with seven goals and three assists in 12 games.

The 25-year-old has proven to be a revelation since his €50 million arrival from Atletico Madrid in 2023, having provided 12 goals and seven assists in his full debut season last year after spending the second-half of the previous campaign on loan at Molineux.

According to The Telegraph, Cunha’s form has led to Wolves looking to reward the Brazilian with a new and improved contract in order to end speculation linking their talisman with a move away in January.

Wolves preparing for Cunha sale next summer

United had previously looked to sign Cunha while he was at Atletico Madrid during Erik ten Hag’s first summer in 2022 but a deal never materialised, however the Red Devils have kept tabs on the forward ever since.

Only five players have provided more goal contributions than Cunha in the Premier League in the past 12 months and Wolves are aware that their relegation struggles could lead to interest from more rivals.

Current ETV

Matheus Cunha

F, AM (C)

Wolverhampton

Matheus Cunha

F, AM (C)

Wolverhampton

€25.5M

ETV Range

€19.1M - €31.9M

View full profile

There is believed to be ‘no chance’ in Wolves selling Cunha in January but the club are aware that there will be significant interest in the forward next summer.

With Cunha’s current deal set to expire in 2027, Wolves are determined to tie him down to a new contract to strengthen their bargaining power and generate a club-record fee if they do eventually cash in on their top scorer.