Matheus Cunha has been one of the names highly linked with a move to Elland Road this summer, and after an interval of silence, Brazilian UOL report that Leeds United have ‘intensified talks’ to sign the 22-year-old.
The report also suggests that the Whites from Leeds have ‘promise(d) to make an extra effort’ to buy the Brazilian ace this summer and ‘don’t give up’ on him regardless of a vast sum of money demanded by Hertha Berlin. UOL also claims that Marcelo Bielsa has personally requested for Matheus Cunha.
In this article, we’ll look at Cunha as a prospect, his playing style, and how he would fit in at Leeds.
About Matheus Cunha: Basics
Matheus Cunha has been around German football for sometime now, as RB Leipzig brought him to the country after the Brazilian’s impressive display at Football Club de Sion, where he scored ten goals in his only season in Switzerland. Red Bull Leipzig brought him on a five-year deal, but with other preferred over Cunha – he was down the pecking list with the likes of Timo Werner, Yussuf Poulsen, and others given the priority.
Why are Leeds United interested in Matheus Cunha?
As all of Bielsa’s signing possess, Matheus Cunha is versatile along the attacking line – and the way he goes about himself, he’d fit in at Leeds perfectly. At Herta, Cunha used to play on the left-wing predominantly through inter-change his positions with Krzysztof Piątek and Vedad Ibišević on a consistent basis. And recurrently they used to drop back to unleash the Brazilian into space. This looks like something out of Patrick Bamford’s playbook, ain’t it?
As many of the strikers out there he isn’t renowned for his passing skills, BUT he has often manifested latent skills with long-range passes that transcend defences. Matheus has, over the last couple of years, exhibited that he can develop his passing range over time – and working with Bielsa could help him add that to his armory. Though he can fit into the pass and play style that the Argentine has flourished at Leeds (especially with the kind of runs Raphinha & Rodrigo can make to cut through defences).
Leeds United are renowned for link-up & transitions play under Bielsa, something which is another of the factors why Matheus Cunha is needed at Leeds.
How much will Matheus Cunha cost?
As mentioned in the inaugural paragraphs, Herta are asking something between €25m and €30m for the Brazilian ace. With Leeds favouring a move for Nahitan Nández as well (who’d come for a similar fee), it’s difficult to bring Matheus to Elland Road – unless Herta take note of their asking price.
