Wolverhampton Wanderers striker Matheus Cunha is on the verge of agreeing a new contract, according to reports, in a blow to Arsenal, Manchester United and his many other suitors.
Cunha signed for Wolves on loan initially when the club was rooted at his feet Premier League table midway through the 2022/23 campaign, before joining a permanent deal worth £44m after helping the club secure safety.
A respectable total of 12 Premier League The goals in his first full season in England – more than Manchester City’s Julian Alvarez by comparison – attracted many admiring glances from across the division.
The Brazilian has somehow managed to improve this season despite the club’s collective struggles, which is inspiring strong interest from Arsenal and we are talking about an approach from Manchester United this January.
However, those clubs have had those ambitions quashed by multiple reports claiming that Cunha has agreed a new, long-term deal with Wolves. The Telegraph they write that the forward is in “advanced talks” and an announcement should be made “within the next two weeks.”
Fabrizio Romano reports that the contract extension has been verbally agreed upon and would allow Cunha to increase his wages.
Despite the 25-year-old’s best efforts – and an unbeaten start to life under manager Vitor Pereira – Wolves remain in the bottom three. Cunha’s new deal reportedly includes a relegation break clause, allowing rival clubs to pay a pre-agreed and so far undisclosed fee for the striker in the event of relegation.
Pereira made it clear that he had no intention of approving the sale of Cunha during Wolves’ fight against the drop. “I hope not, I hope not because we need him,” admitted the Portuguese boss at the end of December. “We need his quality.”
Wolves will be without the quality of Kunia for the next two games. The Brazilian talisman has been slapped with a ban by the FA following a post-match brawl with a member of Ipswich Town’s security. Cunha will miss Monday night’s league clash with Nottingham Forest and next weekend’s FA Cup third-round tie with Bristol City.
