Spectacular goals, striking creativity and ball -bearing sparkle. It is no wonder that Wolves Forward Matheus Cunha is asking a lot this summer.
Cunha is ready to leave Molineux at the end of the season after he told the Guardian in March: “I made it clear that I have to take the next step.”
With his intentions clear, Cunha is probably one of the most spoken names in the summer.
The attacker has found this season in hot water about disciplinary issues, including a broadcast against Bournemouth in March, but here we explain why he is a coveted talent.
Clinical
Cunha's goals are of course the key to its attraction.
The 24-year-old, formerly Van RB Leipzig, Hertha Berlin and Atletico Madrid, arrived in Wolves with unused potential, but he delivered it in Molineux, followed up a campaign of 14 goals by reaching double digits before the half point of this season.
His total of 24 non-Penalty goals in the last two Premier League seasons places him the top scorers of the competition, equal to Cole Palmer and only seven players behind. It is all the more impressive, since he has done it in a struggling team.
His census comprises some stunning efforts, converted from unlikely corners and in unlikely circumstances, many of which have come to the sides that are now desiring his signature.
In December there was a goal directly from a corner against Manchester United. Last season, Cunha scored an emphatic attack with his weaker foot against Arsenal in the Emirates Stadium. Forest fell victim to an excellent solo strike in the city.
Cunha nourishes limited service at Wolves, but still manages to get a large number of shots out. In fact, this season he is in fifth place in the division for Schoten. It is crucial that he also has a talent for converting opportunities of low quality, something that shines due to the underlying numbers.
Since the start of last season, Cunha has scored a total of 25 Premier League goals of only 16.21 expected goals. In other words, he has scored almost nine goals more than he should have, based on the quality of his chances.
His number placed him behind only Chris Wood from Manchester City's Phil Foden and Forest under Premier League players in terms of expected objective over performance.
Is his over performance sustainable? Maybe not to that extent. But the fact that his figures have stopped two seasons is good. For his lovers, it is tempting to imagine what this game-changing talent may produce with a better service.
Creativity and Link Play
Cunha is both a maker and a scorer. This season he created almost twice as many opportunities as any other Wolves player. It is unlikely that his power as a set piece Taker has gone unnoticed by Dead-Ball Specialists Arsenal, but he also excels with open play.
The image below illustrates the width of his creativity. There is a high concentration of opportunities from left -wing corners, but Cunha has also provided openings of short steps in and around the opposition box and even long balls inside his own half.
He gave four assists in addition to his 13 goals this season and his figures were even more impressive last term, when he made seven assists to deal with his 12 Premier League goals. His selflessness could be seen when he fourth for Hee-Chan Hwang to score in the Boxing Day victory on Manchester United instead of shooting himself.
“He can make something special,” Wolves -Baas Vorror Pereira told Sky Sports. “He has everything we want from a creative player.”
His ability to combine with teammates and linking the game is a different power, where Cunha has made more passes this season in the last third time than any other Wolves player.
Ball -bearing and 'unpredictability'
If he does not unleashes the goal or disconnects defenses with passes, Cunha can often be seen that loads forward with the ball apparently glued to his feet. The Brazilian international combines pace and power with excellent close control and one-on-one.
His ball questions is an important asset for wolves, helps to relieve pressure and take them up, and it can be seen in the figures. Cunha has worn the ball almost 5 km this season, making it one of the top 10 attackers of the Premier League for surrender distance.
His looting runs are invaluable as means to destabilize opposition distributions and often place him in shooting positions. In fact, his total of 24 Shot-ending this season is improved by only six players, including Mohamed Salah and Cole Palmer.
It is above both players, but when it comes to dribbles, completed. Cunha is in sixth place of the Premier League attackers in that area.
“He is quickly with the ball, he is unpredictable with the ball,” added Pereira to Sky Sports. It is a devastating combination.
Versatility factor
Cunha's attraction is improved by its versatility.
Since his arrival at Wolves, he has been used in a large number of different roles, as shown in breaking down his minutes that are played by position.
Gary O'Neil, the predecessor of Pereira, tried to maximize his target threat as a no. 9, something that he described a little more than a year ago in an interview with Sky Sports. But Cunha is the most comfortable and probably the most dangerous when the freedom is given to roam.
This season he usually played as a no. 10, behind Jorgen Strand Larsen, from where he can sometimes pick up the ball in deeper areas – something that has encouraged Pereira – and attack the opposition box with others.
In the course of his time at Wolves, he added the strive for his repertoire and scored a series of goals from close bee and the more spectacular efforts. But it is his all -round attacking offer that makes him a “special” player to quote Pereira.
Working speed and intensity
Pereira criticized Cunha's body language and attitude during the 3-1 loss of Wolves for Chelsea in January. For the most part, however, he has demonstrated the intensity and working speed as a supplement to his talent.
“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 working speed and the figures he produces, he finishes his socks.”
Premier League tracking data shows that this season he stands at the top of Wolves players for Sprints. Only three players, Joao Gomes, Larsen and Rayan Ait-Nouri, have covered more land.
Pereira has previously outlined the importance of Cunha for the Wolves press. This season he won 17 times in the last third part, so that he is placed just outside the top 20 players of the division. He also scores high in terms of won duels and counterparts.
It is just another reason why Vrijers circl the summer.
A version of this article was published in January 2025
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