Wolves have officially sold Matheus Cunha to Manchester United – and fans have been debating his standing.
Matheus Cunha’s exit was inevitable after a release clause of £62.5 million was set earlier this year.
After scoring against Aston Villa, Cunha put pen to paper on a new deal at Molineux.
But there was never a feeling that this was something that would keep him at the club, and that became clear with that £62.5 million clause.
After Cunha was pictured checking out of the Lowry hotel in Manchester, United have now confirmed the transfer, and the clause money is set to come in three installments.
United will have to pay the Cunha money by the summer of 2027, and it being spread out should help Wolves with their cash flow.
Many are relieved that Cunha has now gone, given how much talk there was around him constantly.
But he won’t be forgotten in a hurry, because he did some truly special things on the pitch in a Wolves shirt.
But, with his move to United now confirmed, many Wolves fans are making the same point about Cunha with regards to where he stands amongst the greats.
- READ MORE: Who is Matheus Cunha? Everything you need to know about Wolves’ former world-class Brazilian forward
Wolves fans make Cunha point as he leaves for Manchester United
In terms of footballing talent, very few players that have donned the Wolves shirt really come close to Cunha.
At times, he was breathtaking to watch, and he had an extremely impressive goal catalogue.
But sadly, as brilliant as Cunha could be, there was also a lot of baggage with him.
His short fuse landed him in hot water a couple of times, with the player serving two bans.
Cunha also angered fans with an ill-timed interview he did about his future while Wolves were still fighting against relegation. He also annoyed people on social media.
For those reasons and others, fans believe he shouldn’t be rubbing shoulders with the likes of Ruben Neves and Raul Jimenez when it comes to modern greats at Wolves.
@OldWolfie75 said: “I’m not sure how he can be perceived to be better than Neves, where Neves had class on and off the field. Agree he gave us some great moments, but as a player, he is flawed. United will find this out in due course. #wwfc”
@MrRyanLeister added: “It pains me to say, but Cunha is probably the most gifted footballer I’ve seen play for Wolves. However, he’s miles off it other departments, especially in terms of mentality & respect. Gave us some special moments, but also let himself & his team down. We’ll miss the talent, but not the bloke.”
@lincswolf said: “Well put Mikey. I wanted to love him this season but he just made it so difficult and it’s left a sour taste.”
@finchy_84 added: “Just remember likes of Neves, Raul, Jota did it at the top end of the league and europe!! Cunha quality but not above them not a chance!!!”
@jay_wwfc07 said: “Why are people suggesting Cunha is the best Wolves player in recent times? Surely he doesn’t even kiss the feet of Neves or Raul?”
Cunha could have left a Wolves icon
Cunha is right up there in terms of the most talented players ever to play for Wolves.
But he is not a Molineux legend, nor is he a cult hero.
And that’s a shame, because at one point it looked as though he was heading in that direction.
| Matheus Cunha for Wolves (January 2023-present) |
| Appearances – 92 |
| Minutes played – 6659 |
| Goals – 33 |
| Assists – 15 |
Wolves fans adored him last season and also in the first half of the 2024/25 campaign as he was stepping up constantly while the team struggled as a collective.
But to become a club icon, you can’t just be a brilliant player.
Cunha – who admitted to making mistakes at Wolves – became a distraction with some of things he did and said and unfortunately, we’re now at a point whereby a lot of supporters are glad he’s gone so that the focus can be on the team.