Manchester United has drawn the sword. There are reports that they are leading the race to sign Matheus Cunha (26, Wolverhampton Wanderers).

Fabrizio Romano, a European football transfer market expert famous for his signature phrase 'Here we go,' noted on the 22nd (Korean time) that "Manchester United is at the forefront of the competition to sign Cunha from Wolverhampton. Negotiations are currently ongoing."

He added, "Manchester United is aware that other clubs are showing interest in Cunha. He has a buyout clause of £62.5 million (about 119.1 billion won), so discussions about personal terms are ongoing. A positive atmosphere has been formed between Cunha and Manchester United since their initial contact."

Cunha has been consistently performing as an ace since joining Wolverhampton in 2023. He is a versatile asset, capable of playing both as a striker and a winger. As a Brazilian, he has excellent ball-handling skills, along with powerful shooting and playmaking abilities.

Cunha has flourished in the Premier League. While he did not stand out significantly at RB Leipzig, Hertha Berlin, or Atlético Madrid, he has recorded 31 goals and 13 assists in 85 matches wearing the Wolverhampton jersey. This season alone, he has netted 16 goals and provided 4 assists in 31 matches. Cunha has also shown good chemistry by combining for 5 goals with Hwang Hee-chan.

Having proven his abilities, Cunha is attracting interest from several clubs, including not only Manchester United but also Arsenal, Tottenham, and Liverpool. In particular, he could have transferred to Arsenal during the last winter transfer window. However, Cunha turned down the offer to save a team struggling in the relegation zone.

Cunha recently said in an interview with the British 'Guardian,' "Sometimes what we want in life is affection. Players are also human and face difficulties. A bit of understanding is needed. Wolves gave me that joy back. I am truly grateful." He also mentioned, "There were many transfer offers. But had I transferred, I would not have felt good. There are uncontrollable factors, but I couldn't leave a team in the relegation zone during a tough situation in the middle of the season," revealing his affection for Wolverhampton.

However, now Cunha dreams of a new challenge, leaving Wolverhampton behind. He announced that he intends to leave Wolverhampton, even though he signed a contract extension in February. Including a buyout clause in his contract extension in February was also a strategy for a transfer this summer.

In a recent interview with the 'Guardian,' Cunha stated, "Now we have nearly achieved our (retention) goal. But I made it clear that we need to take the next step. I want to fight for championships or big things. I have potential," expressing his intention to transfer.

Among them, Manchester United, which urgently needs to strengthen its attacking line, seems to be gaining momentum in the race to acquire Cunha. According to reporters such as Ben Jacobs from CBS Sports in the U.S. and those in Spain, while Cunha is attracting attention from several clubs, reports indicate that he prefers a transfer to Manchester United.

Currently, Manchester United desperately needs to sign a scorer. Joshua Zirkzee seemed to be bouncing back in the second half but is now out for the season due to injury, and he is not the type known for finishing. Rasmus Højlund continues to struggle this season as well. Both have only scored 3 goals in the league.

For this reason, Manager Amorim has made acquiring a reliable forward his top priority for the summer transfer market. Although Cunha is not a typical number 9 striker, he is a resource that can play various roles, moving between the center and the wings.

Cunha, who excels in ball-handling skills as a Brazilian, possesses strengths in shooting as well as in linking play, sprinting, and dribbling. He is expected to move between the front line and the second line in Amorim's 3-4-2-1 formation. Recently, there was a stir when Manager Amorim was spotted patting Cunha's head after the first half of a match against Wolverhampton.

Manchester United showed interest in Cunha as early as 2022. At that time, Manchester United contacted Cunha's agent, who was playing at Atlético Madrid, to explore the possibility of a transfer. However, the deal fell through due to issues with the transfer fee, and ultimately, Cunha joined Wolverhampton on a loan deal that included a permanent transfer option. After three years, Manchester United is once again attempting to acquire Cunha.

[Photo] ⓒGettyimages (Unauthorized reproduction and redistribution prohibited), Man Utd TDI 360, Matheus Cunha, United Empire, Sports Kida social media.

[OSEN]