Matheus Cunha fulfils boyhood dream as he takes Wayne Rooney’s number at Old Trafford | OneFootball

INEOS wasted no time sealing the Matheus Cunha deal in their mission to weaponise Ruben Amorim’s toothless attack.

Misfiring United forwards had held back the Portuguese tactician’s early momentum, so this summer was all about quality upgrades in the final third.

A clinical striker and two natural 10s were top of the agenda.

Cunha signed as one of the 10s

Having impressed as a left-sided 10 in Vítor Pereira’s 3-4-2-1 Wolverhampton Wanderers setup (mirroring Amorim’s system), it was easy to see why United’s scouting department pivoted towards the Wolves playmaker.

Passionate, technically gifted, and full of flair, Cunha’s 17 goals and six assists in 36 appearances made him a no-brainer.

INEOS were not about to risk losing him to rivals; they moved quickly and got the deal done.

For £62.5 million, the Brazilian joined United, stepping into the spotlight to follow in the footsteps of his idol: Wayne Rooney.

His admiration for Rooney

In his first interview as a Red Devil, Cunha opened up on why Rooney had always been his benchmark:

“I remember the whole squad at the time that I started to watch.

“I liked Rooney at the front. Wow! He is someone I have a lot of similar things in my game, as I always give everything.

“He was the No.10, I remember it on his shirt, and everyone loved the skills of the player, but he always brought more.”

The perfect shirt to honour his idol

On Friday, 4 July, just days before the pre-season begins, reports have revealed that Cunha will be the club’s new number 10.

It is a move many see as signalling Marcus Rashford’s fate. The academy graduate, strongly linked with an exit, will no longer wear the number 10 at United.

Cunha (allegedly promised the number while being swayed to join), inherits the iconic number with the fire and desire to emulate Rooney’s legacy.

United’s all-time leading scorer left in 2017 after netting 253 goals. No one has come close since. Cunha could change that.

Playing alongside a proven goalscorer, with Bruno Fernandes behind him and possibly Bryan Mbeumo flanking the opposite side, it is easy to imagine Cunha’s output climbing sharply.

Featured image Wagner Meier via Getty Images

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