Matheus Cunha will be plying his trade in the Premier League next year, but he won’t be wearing a Leeds United shirt. The Brazil international has agreed to become Julen Logetegui’s first signing at Wolves and he’ll make the move on January 1 on an initial loan deal.
The Atletico Madrid forward had plenty of interest as the transfer window approached, with Leeds one side thought to be interested in his signature. United have been linked with Cunha in the past and it seems they have followed his career closely over the last few years as a potential target.
However, the Whites will now be forced to look elsewhere in their bid to land a striker over the next few weeks. Despite the goals of Rodrigo this season, it’s clear the club are in need of more attacking options and, having fallen short in the summer, they will be doing all they can to get the right man over the line before the window shuts at the end of next month.
Read more: Matheus Cunha on 'big mentality' role of Julen Lopetegui in Wolves move amid Leeds United links
Missing out on Cunha, a man Jesse Marsch knows well from his time at RB Leipzig, will hurt and it will sting even more knowing that he’s opted to join a direct rival in the battle to avoid the Premier League drop. Wolves currently prop up the table, but they are only five points behind Leeds and with the signing of Cunha already in the bag, they’ll be feeling bullish about their chances of survival.
Lopetegui has had a month or so to work with his side after taking over at Molineux and Wolves have backed him with a signing that clearly strengthens the options at his disposal. That Christmas Day deal is a statement of intent and it serves to put pressure on those teams around them in the table, including Leeds.
Strikers will always be in high demand, especially in January when clubs could be expected to pay a premium in order to land the right man. Leeds, though, now know they cannot afford to waste time when the window opens and risk standing still, with moves already being made at the foot of the division.
As such, after seeing Cunha opt for a move to the West Midlands to link up with Lopetegui, United must move on with pace and precision, just as they did in the summer when they landed three targets before the start of pre-season. That direct approach would certainly serve Jesse Marsch well as he looks to make the most of a key run of games coming up throughout the first couple of months of the New Year.
It would also send out a clear message to those around them in the table, who are gearing up for a battle for survival. The Whites have missed out on Cunha and they must do all they can to avoid a similar fate moving forward.
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