Nottingham Forest are preparing a club-record bid. Arsenal are one of four other Premier League clubs interested. Wolves face a fight to keep hold of Matheus Cunha this month.
The forward has become one of the most talked-about names of the January transfer window as Premier League clubs hunt attacking reinforcements. Here, we explain why he is in demand.
Clinical finishing
Cunha’s goals are of course key to his attraction.
The 24-year-old, formerly of RB Leipzig, Hertha Berlin and Atletico Madrid, arrived at Wolves with untapped potential but he has delivered on it at Molineux, following up a 14-goal campaign by reaching double figures before the halfway point of this season.
His total of 21 on-penalty goals across the last two Premier League seasons puts him among the competition’s top scorers, level with Tottenham’s Heung-Min Son and ahead of Arsenal’s Kai Havertz. It is all the more impressive given he has done it in a struggling team.
His tally includes some stunning efforts, converted from improbable angles and in unlikely circumstances, many of which have come against the sides who now covet his signature.
Most recently, there was a goal directly from a corner against Manchester United. Last season, Cunha scored an emphatic strike with his weaker foot against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium. Forest fell victim to a superb solo strike at the City Ground.
Cunha feeds off limited service at Wolves but still manages to get a high volume of shots off. His total of 63 this season is in fact the fifth-highest in the division. Crucially, he also has a knack for converting low-quality chances, something which shines through in the underlying numbers.
According to Opta, Cunha has scored roughly eight goals more than he should have over the last two seasons, based on the quality of his opportunities. He is behind only Manchester City’s Phil Foden and Forest’s Chris Wood in terms of expected goal overperformance.
Is his overperformance sustainable? Maybe not to this extent. But the fact his numbers have held up for two seasons bodes well. And given he already excels at converting half-chances, it is tantalising to imagine what he might be able to produce with better service.
Creativity and link play
Cunha is a creator as well as a scorer. This season, he has created nearly twice as many chances as any other Wolves player, with 36. His ability as a set-piece taker is unlikely to have gone unnoticed by dead-ball specialists Arsenal but he excels from open play too.
The graphic below illustrates the breadth of his creativity. There is a high concentration of opportunities from left-wing corners but Cunha has also provided openings from short passes in and around the opposition box and even long balls from inside his own half.
Matheus Cunha’s passes leading to shots and goals
He has provided four assists in addition to his 10 goals this season and his numbers were similarly impressive last term, when he made seven assists to go with his 12 Premier League goals. His selflessness could be seen when he squared for Hee-Chan Hwang to score in the Boxing Day win over Manchester United rather than shoot himself.
“He can create something special,” Wolves boss Vitor Pereira told Sky Sports last week. “He has everything we want from a creative player.”
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Vitor Pereira explains Matheus Cunha’s importance to Wolves last week
His ability to combine with team-mates and link the play is another strength. His total of 258 final-third passes puts him just outside the top 10 among forwards in the Premier League this season, in a list otherwise dominated by players at top-half clubs.
Ball-carrying and ‘unpredictability’
When he is not unleashing shots on goal or unpicking defences with passes, Cunha can often be seen charging forward with the ball seemingly glued to his feet. The Brazil international combines pace and power with outstanding close control and one-on-one ability.
His ball-carrying is a major asset to Wolves, helping to relieve pressure and take them upfield, and it can be seen in the numbers. Cunha has carried the ball nearly 4km this season, putting him among the Premier League’s top 10 attackers for carry distance.
His marauding runs are invaluable as means of destabilising opposition defences and frequently put him in shooting positions. In fact, his total of 20 shot-ending carries this season is bettered by only five players, among them Mohamed Salah and Cole Palmer.
He ranks above both of those players, though, when it comes to dribbles completed. Cunha’s total of 39 successful take-ons this season puts him seventh in the Premier League, highlighting his flair for beating his man and navigating his way out of tight spaces.
“He’s fast with the ball, he’s unpredictable with the ball,” added Pereira to Sky Sports. It is a devastating combination.
Versatility factor
Cunha’s appeal is enhanced by his versatility.
Since his arrival at Wolves, he has been used in a host of different roles, as shown when breaking down his minutes played by position.
Matheus Cunha has featured in various positions for Wolves
Gary O’Neil, Pereira’s predecessor, sought to maximise his goal threat as a No 9, something he detailed in an interview with Sky Sports just over a year ago. But Cunha is most comfortable, and probably most dangerous, when given freedom to roam.
This season, he has mostly played as a No 10, behind Jorgen Strand Larsen, from where he is able to pick up the ball in deeper areas at times – something Pereira has encouraged – and attack the opposition box at others.
Matheus Cunha has dropped deeper under Vitor Pereira
He has added poaching ability to his repertoire over the course of his time at Wolves, scoring a string of close-range goals as well as the more spectacular efforts. But it is his all-round attacking offering that makes him a “special” player, to quote Pereira.
Work-rate and intensity
Pereira has subsequently criticised Cunha’s body language, taking issue with his demeanour during Wolves’ 3-1 loss to Chelsea on Monday Night Football. For the most part, though, he has demonstrated intensity and work-rate to complement his talent.
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Wolves boss Vitor Pereira was critical of Matheus Cunha after the Chelsea game
“He is an incredible guy with a big heart who wants to do his best for the team,” O’Neil told Sky Sports last season. “If you look at his work-rate and the numbers he produces, he works his socks off.”
Premier League tracking data shows he ranks top among Wolves players for sprints this season. Only three players, Joao Gomes, Larsen and Rayan Ait-Nouri, have covered more ground.
Pereira has previously outlined Cunha’s importance to Wolves’ press. This season, he has won possession 16 times in the final third, the eighth-highest total in the division. He also ranks highly in terms of duels won and counter-pressures.
It is just another reason why suitors are circling.
