Man Utd close in on Cunha after meeting Wolves release clause
PA Media/dpa
London
Manchester United have been granted permission by Wolves to finalize a deal to sign Matheus Cunha, the PA news agency understands.
The 26-year-old has been a key target for the Red Devils as Ruben Amorim looks to reshape the team on the back of the club's worst season in 51 years.
United had sought to negotiate with Wolves over the terms of Cunha's deal but have now met the Brazil international's £62.5 million ($84.5 million) release clause and been given permission to start a medical.
The forward thanked Wolves fans after the 'best season' of his life in an Instagram post, having scored 17 times in all competitions and equalled the record for the most goals by a Brazilian in a Premier League campaign with 15.
Cunha celebrated turned 26 on Tuesday, when his birthday will have been made all the sweeter by that evening's development.
It will be welcome news to United boss Amorim when he wakes up in Kuala Lumpur, where the club play a friendly on Wednesday before playing another game in Hong Kong two days later as part of a money-spinning post-season tour.
Brentford's Bryan Mbeumo and Ipswich striker Liam Delap are among other players of interest to United, but business has been made harder by the fact they failed to qualify for the Champions League, worth an estimated £100 million.
Amorim said in Malaysia on Tuesday: 'Omar (Berrada, chief executive) can explain (the ramifications) better than me, but I think we always prepared two plans - one with Champions League, one without Champions League.
'Without Champions League, we also don't need a big squad. We can control the squad in a better way.
'Then we have a plan that is to bring some new players, of course, but our big plan is to improve the team that we have, it's to improve our academy because I think that is the future. It was the past, so it can be the future.
'It's not going to change so much because we have the fair play financial rules. We are not allowed to do much in this summer, even with Champions League, so we are prepared for that.
'Important thing is to stick together, like I said on Sunday. We are going to struggle, it's not going to be everything right away, but I have the feeling and I see the team improving, so that is the most important thing.'
As United look to make summer improvements within their financial restrictions, Amorim stressed the importance of keeping key building block Bruno Fernandes.
The 30-year-old was a rare shining light in United's worst league season since suffering relegation in 1973-74, which was compounded by last week's Europa League final loss to fellow strugglers Tottenham.
Fernandes admitted the club could end up cashing in on him after that loss cost them Champions League football, with Al Hilal of Saudi Arabia keen to sign the Portugal international.
'You can see by the performance, you can see by the leadership, the passion that he has for the game, so he's really important,' Amorim said.
'You could see that in the last game (Sunday's 2-0 win against Aston Villa). I felt that the team was without pressure and they performed quite well, everybody wants the ball.
'But we had some difficult moments and in those difficult moments you can see that Bruno is the guy that takes that responsibility.
'He should be because he's the captain, he's experienced, so he's really important for us, and really important for what we want to build with this team.'
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