The spark to reinvigorate Man Utd? How Cunha fits Amorim's plans

A humbling Europa League final defeat. A historically dreadful Premier League campaign. A still-new head coach who isn't afraid to point out publicly how low Manchester United have fallen.

It would be fair to say one of the world's biggest clubs is broken and on its knees.

This summer's transfer window is one of the most important in United history.

If they are to avoid another failed reboot, they can't afford any mistakes. They must give Ruben Amorim the best resources possible to succeed in the 3-4-3/3-5-2 system he is adamant about playing.

So where do you start?

Well, you could do worse than sign Matheus Cunha, Wolverhampton Wanderers' best player of the season just gone.

United need to address the goalscoring issues that date back to Erik ten Hag's tenure.

Over the past season, United outscored only four Premier League teams - the bottom three and Everton. The season before that, they were the t-lowest scorers in the top half of the table.

While goalscoring is one thing Cunha will bring to Old Trafford - with 40 goal involvements in the past two seasons - he also directly addresses other problems United have.

It will help Amorim that Cunha has played in a Wolves team that predominantly used a back three system both under Gary O'Neil and Vitor Pereira.

You can see him slotting in United's front three, particularly getting minutes in the left-sided 10 position.

The United shirt appears to have become a burden in recent years, with a number of players going on to flourish elsewhere - see Scott McTominay's dancing in Naples as an example.

But United fans can be encouraged by the fact Cunha welcomed the responsibility at Wolves for goalscoring and conjuring up chances seemingly from nothing.

Cunha became talismanic at Wolves, helping the club avoid the drop twice - with many significant contributions.

Take, for instance, the first of Cunha's two goals in a 2-2 draw at Nottingham Forest in April 2024. The Brazilian dribbled from the corner of the penalty area, sucked two Forest defenders in before rounding them and unleashing a shot into the top corner.

Creating a chance where there wasn't one, with fearlessness.

Manchester United's attack has become too predictable.

They it around the back three, before the wing-backs and midfielders are marked, leaving no choice but to go long to the striker.

Often the long is played up to Rasmus Hojlund, who isn't the best at holding the ball up, resulting in a turnover.

United don't have players capable of taking the ball and doing something with it.

Only Amad Diallo and Alejandro Garnacho - who is likely to leave - possess the quality to run and drive at defenders, with the ability to create a chance using their initiative in a rigid system.

Cunha's g changes that.

Since Amorim's arrival, there haven't been many games where you could say his style of play has worked.

A key reason for this is the lack of ball carriers in the team.

Kobbie Mainoo alone was enough under Ten Hag. He could take the ball on the half-turn from defence and drive up the pitch. But Mainoo found minutes hard to come by in 2024-25.

United need a player brave enough to get the ball from defence into attack and the stats indicate that could be Cunha.

The former Atletico Madrid forward's ability to carry the ball often results in a chance created.

But the important thing about the Brazilian's ball-carrying ability is how deep he likes to drop to get possession. That opens up possibilities for his new club.

United's central midfield are frequently suffocated by the press, forcing them to it backwards to the back three.

The job of both of the number 10s on either side of the main striker is to drop deep for the ball and use their movement to drag an opposing defender out of position.

Cunha can drop deep to receive the ball, wriggle free of challenges and dart into the half-spaces.

This creates space behind the defender who has been pulled out of position.

As Cunha showed at Wolves, after receiving the ball from defence. he can release an overlapping full-back wide to cross.

Similarly, Cunha can pull wider to receive the ball, allowing other players to occupy the half-space to confuse the opposition.

And he is unperturbed by players attempting to get the ball from him, even when they hunt in packs.

Those qualities will suit Amorim's style - as the danger is supposed to come from the movement of the full-backs, either out wide or underlapping. They can take advantage as Cunha attracts players towards him.

Last December as Wolves defeated Manchester United 2-0, Cunha scored directly from a corner in a game where Amorim's side were completely outfought.

It was a cheeky goal, showing just what Cunha is capable of.

His flair, intelligence and ability to grab games by the scruff of the neck are qualities United's flat attack need desperately.

While he can be a fiery character similar to Wayne Rooney in his younger days, he could provide vital spark at Old Trafford.