Arsenal’s new sporting director, Andrea Berta, has positioned the club as the frontrunner to sign Wolves forward Matheus Cunha this summer, leveraging his prior relationship with the player during their time at Atletico Madrid to gain an advantage, reports Caught Offside. The 25-year-old Brazilian, who has a €75m (£62.5m) release clause, has attracted attention from several Premier League clubs, but Arsenal sees him as a priority target as they look to bolster their attacking options.
Berta, who signed Cunha for Atletico Madrid in 2021, is leading the charge for Arsenal’s pursuit of the forward. The Italian director has long admired Cunha’s versatility and work ethic, and his familiarity with the player’s qualities gives Arsenal an edge in the race. The same report indicates that Wolves, while keen to retain their talisman, are preparing for his departure and could accept offers slightly below the release clause, especially considering the player’s growing status in the market. With clubs like Manchester United, Tottenham, Chelsea, Newcastle, and Nottingham Forest also monitoring the situation, Arsenal’s established connection with Berta and the player could prove crucial in negotiations.
Cunha has enjoyed his best season to date at Wolves, contributing to 17 league goals (13 goals, 4 assists) despite the club’s relegation struggles. His ability to operate across the front line makes him a perfect fit for Mikel Arteta’s tactical setup, offering vital depth behind the strikers while adding creativity to Arsenal’s attacking play. The Gunners’ thin forward line, often exposed due to injuries, makes this acquisition particularly important for their ambitions going forward.
Although Arsenal intends to structure a deal below the €75m release clause, the competition from other clubs could drive up the price. Manchester United and Tottenham are reportedly preparing offers, while Champions League qualification remains a key factor in activating the clause’s terms. Nevertheless, Berta’s negotiation expertise, honed during his time at Atletico, is expected to be pivotal in securing a cost-effective agreement for Arsenal.
In addition to Cunha, Arsenal is also scouting other options, such as Sporting’s Viktor Gyokeres. Securing Cunha would mark Berta’s first significant signing since replacing Edu, and it would signal a shift towards more targeted, relationship-driven recruitment.
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If this are the kind of strikers Berta and Arsenal will be signing then it will show that their is no longer hunger in arsenal to win trophies,Cunha market value isn’t going beyond 40-45m.I would personally trust Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz to continue as arsenal cf rather than sign an overpriced Cunha.
That’s very disrespectful to Cunha if I’m being honest with you. Cunha has 17 g/a for the 4th worse team in the league. Jesus had 17 g/a in his best season for us and we finished 2nd? Kai is a different story and i do rate him as a cf but rotating him with Cunha or playing them together seems a good way to go. If we cant get Isak or Osinhem off course
Not winning us a Prem
Can you go into more detail or just he wont win us the prem. What about the champions league?
He on his own would not help our attack win the Prem or CL
So what are you saying, hes not good enough or we need more than one attacker?
Mikel and his seniors are /we’re never interested in wining anything, or else they would have hired the right players. Better than GabJ, but not as a main CF, good for squad depth, but again too costly. Just send a jet and get David. Plain and simple
Unfortunately 40m is out of play as his release clause is £62m and it’s already been said that United want him & are willing to pay £75m – shoud Arsenal get involved in an auction?
In terms of ability, Cunha is up there with the best in the Premier League and his ability to adapt to different roles, including that of an attacking midfielder makes him a target for top Clubs who are looking for a “game changer”.He would be real competition for Odegaard as far as creativity is concerned and his goal scoring ability makes him a good alternative as a central striker.My only worry concerns his character and temperement which has let him down recently and resulted in a justifiable suspension.To an extent this may be due to him being a big fish in a shallow pond, whereas with Arsenal, he would be one of many quality players.In terms of finance, the acquisition of Cunha and Jonathan David on a free would be very good business indeed and strengthen our attacking options substantially.All in all ,I would not be averse to Berta using his personal knowledge to secure Cunha,along with David ,for next season particularly when it would be well within our Budget and leave scope to recruit 2 other quality players to strengthen our squad.
I agree – David in particular looks like a no brainer to me. I don’t think either are likely to become standouts in the league (Ie not going to be haaland or Salah imo), but both are very dynamic and could help us to be more dangerous and less predictable in attack.
Grandad,
I share your concerns on Cunha’s temperament. It would be no good for us to buy a player who spends more time suspended than playing.
I would personally give him a wide berth given the choice.👍
Am sitting on the fence for this one as Bertq announce his arrival
Trossard gone – Cunha in
Jesus gone – Sesko or Gyokeres in
Jorginho gone – Zubamendi in
And if we get our injured players back including Kai and Tomi then not sure who else we need as MLS and Nwaneri have saved us buying 2 players for their positions
He’s a decenct player, not great though, and does his personality fit with Arteta?
I think Vegas would definitely be taking bets on how long it would take for an explosion in training even if not directly with MA. As Yoda would say, “I sense great toxicity in this one”.
He’s had a blow up however when you are literally carrying a team on you’re own then you can surely understand he is stressed. I think Big Gabz would make him tow the line regardless.
I wouldn’t want Gabz on my case, that’s for sure. Speaking of which, I was so pleased for us that he was suspended for the Argentina match so that he could get some rest and what do you know he gets injured. Meanwhile, I was a little concerned with Saliba going 210 mins. in his games with France. You just never know.
@Bruised Banana
😂
If you watch all these strikers linked to us sesko fits into our system so does gyokeres. But the question remains what would you prioritize.
1. Signing a striker and a winger
2. Signing two strikers.
If me I would take sesko and David on a free transfer, then go for Nico Williams and tradeoff trossad, zubimendi is a good addition but odegard has been off for a while we need a perfect plan B, to which I suggest we bid 40milkion for arder Guler to rotate with him then we would be good to go.
But an injury to Gabriel and his substitute kiwior being so poor affects us, better we let him go and sign a stronger and better option like hato.
I really hope not. And think not.
Cunha raises some serious concerns; his temperament just doesn’t seem to fit the Arsenal spirit. He doesn’t embody the qualities we expect from an Arsenal player.
Maybe Andrea Berta can shed some light on why Cunha doesn’t last long at his clubs. Since Cunha came to Europe in 2017 he’s had 5 clubs, and the longest he’s lasted at a club is 2.5 years, which is Wolves. The shortest time was the 6 months he spent on the books of Bundesliga club Hertha Berlin.
Herr Drier,
I think it had something to do with the disciplinary forms they had to be filled in every time he got into a strop. He was such a regular visitor, they ran out. 😂🤣👍😉
Good one Derek.
HD, he does appear to need one of those anger management classes or at the least some attitude sessions.