Despite suffering an injury a few weeks ago, Manchester United’s new number ten Matheus Cunha has made a good start to life at Old Trafford.
The 26-year-old has only played seven games for the club so far, missing the Manchester derby defeat at the Etihad due to a hamstring problem he picked up earlier in the season.
He has yet to score or assist, but his impact in the final third has been felt. He has created seven chances so far and has averaged 1.4 per 90 minutes. He certainly shone on his debut against Arsenal.
The Brazil international performed well for Carlo Ancelotti’s side during the international break this month.
Cunha’s form for Brazil
With the form he has shown for Wolverhampton Wanderers throughout his time at Molineux, it would always be a matter of time before Cunha becomes a regular for the national team.
After making his debut in 2021, he entered the team as a key player earlier in 2025.
The 26-year-old is currently on international duty with Brazil. In their recent match against the Selecao, he continued his excellent form, where he managed to score and assist in four matches this calendar year.
Well, he added to that tally, which now stands at three goals in five games, after assisting Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior against South Korea in a 5-0 win.
Playing as a center forward for Ancelotti’s side, he had 44 touches, created three chances and won four from seven ground duels.
|
Cunha against South Korea |
|
|---|---|
|
Statistical |
Number |
|
Keys |
44 |
|
Success accuracy |
83% |
|
Pass into the opponent’s half |
16/21 |
|
Ground duels won |
4/7 |
|
Ball recoveries |
3 |
|
Opportunities created |
3 |
|
Aids |
1 |
|
Sofascore statistics |
|
The 26-year-old enjoys a good relationship with Los Blancos star Vinicius. The pair played together 11 times for the national team, scoring two goals during that time.
Both came in the last two matches that they played side by side in this famous yellow jersey.
With Cunha’s form threatening to explode for United too, it will be encouraging for Ruben Amorim to have a grown-up version of the Brazilian brew at his disposal.
Cunha, the United native
United have some incredibly exciting players within the academy. They’ve produced some sensational talent over the years, and currently on the books are some rising stars that could possibly fit that mold.
It’s no secret how talented 15-year-old striker JJ Gabriel is, with the Red Devils academy diamond set to have a huge career ahead of him.
Yet he is not the academy star that the local Cunha could be. Rather, it is Samuel Lusale, an 18-year-old winger who moved to Old Trafford last summer from Crystal Palace. He is already impressed on the academy side.
In 22 matches for the Red Devils’ under-18 team, Lusale scored once and provided seven assists. This season in particular, the Slovakia Under-19 international has been on fire, with four assists and a goal in five U18 Premier League appearances.
His form has been largely unstoppable. The Guilford-born 18-year-old has only managed to score or assist once, against Burnley. He gave Wolves a nightmare, scoring two goals in a 4-0 win.
Already you can see how similar the 18-year-old is to Cunha, with the threat he poses in the final third. Described as a “dynamic” striker by Academy Scoop on X, he is a threatening ball carrier, just as Cunha has shown for United this season.
The other similarity is the versatility that Lusale offers. According to Transfermarkt, he is a trained winger and has played on both flanks for the Red Devils. He can also operate as a number ten, which really draws comparisons to Cunha.
The Brazilian is sure to be an instant success for United and showed glimpses of his best form before being derailed by injury.
Preparing a home version of Cunha at Lusale is exciting for United fans, especially if he can prove as lethal as their number 10.
