Skip to Main NavigationSkip to content
Saturday 19 July 2025 17:10
Manchester United’s two new summer signings, Matheus Cunha and Diego Leon, both received their first minutes for the club in a friendly against Leeds United in Stockholm.
The meeting with Daniel Farke’s side, who we’re set to face again in the Premier League later this season following their promotion from the Championship, ended in a 0-0 draw, but it was not a game without intrigue.
Chief among those points of interest was the first glimpses of Cunha and Leon in a United shirt, and the pair didn’t disappoint.
United head coach Ruben Amorim was also a keen observer from the sidelines, providing his thoughts on the pair to MUTV after the final whistle.
Player highlights: Cunha and Leon Video
Player highlights: Cunha and Leon
MATCH CLIPS | New signings Matheus Cunha and Diego Leon showed plenty of spirit against Leeds…
Cunha arrived at United from fellow top-flight outfit Wolverhampton Wanderers last month, having registered 21 goal contributions in league action last term. Such numbers are thanks to his direct and aggressive style, with plenty of tricks up his sleeve and a cold precision in front of goal.
“We watched that during last season in a different team,” Amorim told MUTV. “So we expect the same thing.”
He showed flashes of that brilliance on the pitch in Sweden, jinking past the opposition on multiple occasions, drawing fouls and generally making a nuisance of himself, which earned him our fan-voted Man of the Match award. But, having only been in the building for a matter of weeks, he is still understandably building familiarity with his new team-mates, and that process was acknowledged by Amorim.
“Of course, you can see that the connection between him and Bruno is still not there,” the head coach continued. “But it is going to be a good connection because you can put a player like Kobbie Mainoo there or Mason Mount there. So we have to increase our quality in the final third.”
Leon, like Cunha, also played the full first half before Amorim opted to change the entire XI at the interval to spread the minutes throughout the squad.
The 18-year-old arrived from Cerro Porteno in his native Paraguay earlier this month, and has already caught the eye of his new boss.
Speaking about Leon’s first minutes, Amorim said: “We have to understand that the kid came from Paraguay and it’s the first week, the second week in Manchester United.
“He did really well, he’s learning things, he’s powerful. He’s going to be a very good player.”
Recommended:
Saturday 19 July 2025 17:10
Back to Top
