Arsenal and another Premier League club are interested in hijacking Manchester United’s move for Matheus Cunha, according to reports.
The Red Devils are believed to be leading the race to sign Cunha, 25, despite interest from several other top-flight clubs.
Brazil international Cunha has been a key player for Wolves since his move from Atletico Madrid in 2023, scoring 31 goals across his last two seasons at Molineux.
Cunha’s impressive numbers come despite the Midlands club slipping into a relegation battle for most of the season, although five straight wins lifted them to 13th – above Europa League finalists Manchester United and Tottenham.
A number of clubs expressed interest in signing Cunha in January but the 25-year-old in fact ended the window by putting pen to paper on a new contract with Wolves.
He only did so in the knowledge Wolves would not stand in his way this summer, however, and Cunha is available for £62.5m due to a release clause in his contract.
The emergence of that buy-out clause sparked interest from several clubs but Manchester United are said to be leading the race, having opened talks with Wolves last month.
United are currently in talks with Cunha’s representatives over his personal terms, with the player keen to move to Old Trafford despite the club’s dismal Premier League form.
Winning the Europa League – United face Tottenham in the final on May 21 – and qualifying for next season’s Champions League would be a boost to Cunha and other players considering signing for Ruben Amorim.
Cunha has reportedly been left impressed with the sporting project at Manchester United and is excited at the possibility of working under ex-Sporting Lisbon boss Amorim.
However, with a deal yet to be agreed Cunha’s team are still weighing up their options and have a meeting scheduled with Arsenal to discuss a move to north London, according to talkSPORT.
Arsenal registered interest in Cunha during the January transfer window and Mikel Arteta is desperate to bolster his attacking options this summer to take the Gunners to the next level.
The Champions League semi-final defeat to PSG has condemned Arsenal to a fifth successive season without a season, with Arteta’s side even facing a fight to finish second in the Premier League.
One of the teams on Arsenal’s tail – Newcastle United – are also eyeing a summer move for Cunha, who has scored 17 goals and made six assists this season.
Moving to St James’ Park is an increasingly attractive proposition for players, with Newcastle ending their long wait for a major trophy by winning the Carabao Cup under Eddie Howe and looking good for Champions League qualification.
Cunha’s Wolves teammate Jorgen Strand Larsen recently heaped praise on the Brazilian and all but admitted he expected him to leave at the end of the season.
‘He’s an amazing player,’ Norway international Larsen said. ‘Hopefully we can keep him for a long time, but you know how it works.
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