MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 25: Matheus Cunha of Manchester United celebrates after scoring their 1st goal during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Brighton & Hove Albion at Old Trafford on October 25, 2025 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Simon Stacpoole/Offside/Offside via Getty Images)
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The outlook at Manchester United has dramatically changed over the last month or so. While Ruben Amorim was under serious pressure only a few weeks ago, the Portuguese coach has turned United’s form around and Matheus Cunha has been a key part of that unexpected resurgence.
Signed from Wolves for $82m in the summer transfer window, Cunha arrived at Old Trafford on the back of an excellent 2024/25 campaign. The Brazilian registered 15 goals and six assists for Wolves, marking himself out as one of the best all-round attacking players in the Premier League.
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – AUGUST 09: Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha of Manchester United interact with Ruben Amorim, Manager of Manchester United during the pre-season friendly match between Manchester United and ACF Fiorentina at Old Trafford on August 09, 2025 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Matt McNulty/Getty Images)
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It was unsurprising that a club of Manchester United’s standing came calling in the summer, but it wasn’t immediately clear what role Cunha would play for his new team. United already had Bruno Fernandes as a goal-scoring number 10 with Bryan Mbeumo also joining in the summer transfer window.
However, Amorim always envisaged Cunha operating as the left-sided number 10 in his system which accommodated Fernandes and Mbeumo in the same side. While Cunha scored his first United goal in the win over Brighton on Saturday, he has contributed in a number of matches this season.
Cunha is the sort of player Manchester United were desperately lacking. There’s an arrogance to the way the Brazilian plays that gives him the confidence to take on responsibility when things are going against his team. Cunha is the sort of player who relishes the pressure on his shoulders.
TOPSHOT – Manchester United’s Brazilian striker #10 Matheus Cunha (C) shoots to score the opening goal for 1-0 during the English Premier League football match between Manchester United and Brighton and Hove Albion at Old Trafford in Manchester, north west England, on October 25, 2025. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP)
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“He brings something that is hard for us to point [at], it’s not just the ability and the talent,” said Amorim when asked about Cunha’s impact. “He has something that he is really comfortable playing in this kind of environment. He can take our team forward. He needs to improve a lot of things, especially defending, but he has something special and he is a really important player for us.”
In the recent win over Liverpool at Anfield, Cunha was the player who allowed Manchester United to breathe when under pressure. The Brazilian is excellent at absorbing possession and somehow keeping hold of it when being closed down by opponents. This gave United oxygen in some key moments of the match.
There is much more to come from Cunha. He surely hopes to add to his tally of goals and assists over the course of the campaign with the Brazilian starting to develop an understanding with the likes of Fernandes, Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko. Cunha looks like being $82m well spent.