Wolves striker Matheus Cunha has strongly hinted he is ready for a transfer this summer, and Arne Slot has already declared him capable of playing “for one of the top five teams in England.”
Cunha, 25, has been tentatively linked with Liverpool and understandably so having been consistently one of Wolves‘ best players amid their periods of struggle.
The Brazilian has 15 goals and four assists in 29 appearances across all competitions this season, although his disciplinary record will not be received fondly by Liverpool.
He has twice been banned this season for lashing out but that is not expected to see interest in his services diminish, and he’s declared himself ready for a transfer.
“I had a lot of offers (in January) but I wouldn’t feel well if I had done it,” Cunha told The Guardian of his future and leaving Wolves.
“Some things you can’t control but I couldn’t leave the club in the middle of the season, in a difficult situation, in the relegation zone.
“Now, we’re close to achieving our goal [of staying up]. But I’ve made it clear that I need to take the next step. I want to fight for titles, for big things. I have potential.”
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According to BBC Sport, the Brazilian has a £62.5 million release clause in his contract – active from this summer – and we expect Liverpool will be in the market for a player of his ilk.
There have yet been any credible reports naming Cunha as an active target for Liverpool, but the club’s recruitment team will certainly be keeping tabs on him and his situation.
At Wolves, he typically plays behind the main striker but as per FBref, he is ranked highly among forwards in Europe’s top five leagues for progressive carries (95th percentile), progressive passes (98th), successful take-ons (98th) and interceptions (99th).
Cunha shone at Anfield in Wolves‘ recent visit, scoring, leading the line impressively and earning comparisons to Roberto Firmino – making him an intriguing prospect.
Much will depend on what Liverpool decide for their existing forward options, including Diogo Jota, Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez, but we know Cunha has already captured Slot’s attention.
What Arne Slot has said about Matheus Cunha
Speaking about Cunha in mid-February, Slot said: “Wolves are 17th, if you go to the Dutch league and you look at the number 17, there’s no player that can play for Ajax, PSV or Feyenoord.
“But Matheus Cunha is a quality player and he has the quality to play for one of the top five teams in England.
“That is also one of the reasons why it’s so much more difficult to win a game against the number 17 in England than to win a game against the number 17 in Holland.
“Again, we already saw him when we played against him with Gary O’Neil. They had a very good performance back then as well and him in particular.”
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