‘Super-talented’ United star nearly quit the Premier League before securing dream move, says former boss – report

Matheus Cunha’s summer move to Manchester United feels like a match made in heaven.

Cunha had long dreamed of turning out for United. Meanwhile, United were on a pursuit of two tried and tested playmakers to fill the number 10 role, a position Cunha had been thriving in at Wolverhampton Wanderers, where he operated as a left-sided 10.

Snapping up Cunha was a no-brainer

So it was an easy decision to break the bank for him, especially given his numbers: 15 goals and 6 assists in 33 games, a return that backed up his eye-catching performances.

No wonder United moved swiftly to seal the deal, agreeing a £62.5 million transfer towards the end of May, shortly after the 2024-25 season concluded.

Now a Red Devil, Cunha has already become a fan favourite, delivering eye-catching performances that have kept supporters on the edge of their seats.

United fans should feel fortunate to have landed Cunha, a sentiment reinforced by Gary O’Neil’s recent comments.

Speaking to The Telegraph, O’Neil opened up about Cunha and his former Wolves teammate Rayan Ait-Nouri, and why the Premier League is lucky to have them still.

O’Neil was in charge at Wolves between the 2023–24 campaign and the start of 2024–25, a “tough spell” in which the Wanderers struggled and only just managed to stay in the top flight.

He nearly quit the Premier League

With little to fight for at Molineux, it is no surprise that some of Wolves’ ambitious talents like Ait-Nouri and Cunha began considering moves elsewhere.

O’Neil admits:

“Rayan was close to leaving for France when we got there. And as soon as we arrived, we said, ‘Let’s keep Rayan. He’s a great kid and has unbelievable ability.’

“Matheus Cunha, the same. He was so keen to get better and is up there with the most talented players I’ve worked with.”

For both Cunha and United, it was a blessing that he stayed, and that decision paid off with a headline move to Old Trafford this summer.

At the Theatre of Dreams, Cunha has already shown flashes of brilliance.

Expectations are high: he, along with Benjamin Sesko and Bryan Mbeumo, are tipped to transform United’s attack.

Cunha the game changer

O’Neil certainly thinks he will be transformative. He waxed lyrical about Cunha’s instinctive style, saying: “He has the ability to change games and cause problems for the opposition off his own back. He was purely off the cuff. Super-talented but wanted to be free to roam the pitch and just feel the game.”

Currently, there is concern over Cunha’s fitness. He was forced off injured in the first half of United’s 3–2 win over Burnley before the international break.

While it is suggested that the injury is not that serious, there is hope that he will be fit in time for United’s blockbuster clashes against Manchester City on September 14th and Chelsea on September 20th.

Featured image Linnea Rheborg via Getty Images

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