Cunha all but confirms Wolves exit - 'I've made it clear'

Matheus Cunha says he'd like to move on from Wolves in the summer, and a new appointment at Arsenal may just give the Gunners the upper hand in the battle to sign him

Wolves forward Matheus Cunha says he will be pursuing a move away from the club this summer - and Arsenal may just have jumped to the head of the queue to sign him.

The Brazil international forward only signed a new four-and-a-half year deal at Molineux at the beginning of February, but it was widely accepted that this was just to protect his value to the club, with a release clause of around £62.5million inserted into the contract.

Several top clubs had looked into signing Cunha in the January transfer window, but the 25-year-old opted to stay at the club and help in the fight against relegation, with Wolves now sitting in 17th place and nine points clear of Ipswich in 18th.

Cunha, who scored his first goal for Brazil in their 4-1 defeat to Argentina during the recent international break, has faced two notable disciplinary issues this season.

He was given a two game ban and an £80,000 fine on New Year's Eve after clashing with an Ipswich staff member in December, and he is currently in the middle of a four-game ban for violent conduct for his actions after being sent off against Bournemouth in the FA Cup earlier this month, after which he was fined £50,000.

Speaking to The Guardian, Cunha says he would now like to leave Wolves having helped them get to the cusp of staving off relegation, when he's not been suspended.

“I had a lot of offers (to leave in January) but I wouldn’t feel well if I had done it,” said Cunha. “Some things you can’t control but I couldn’t leave the club in the middle of the season, in a difficult situation, in the relegation zone.

“Now, we’re close to achieving our goal [of staying up]. But I’ve made it clear that I need to take the next step. I want to fight for titles, for big things. I have potential.”

As stated in the Guardian report, one of those offers came from Arsenal, and the Gunners could be ready to return for Cunha this summer after the appointment of Andrea Berta as sporting director was confirmed on Sunday.

It was Berta who brought Cunha to Atletico Madrid from Hertha Berlin in 2021, with the La Liga giants paying around £22million for his services.

Cunha was one of a number of notable signings made by Berta during his time at the club, with the Italian bringing the likes of Rodri, Antoine Griezmann, Jan Oblak, Julian Alvarez and Luis Suarez.

“I am thrilled to be joining Arsenal in what is a hugely exciting period for the club," said Berta upon joining the Gunners.

“I have watched with great interest the way Arsenal has evolved in recent years and I have admired the hard work that has gone into re-establishing the club as a major force in European football with a passionate following around the world.

“The club has great values and a rich history, and I am looking forward to playing my part in shaping a successful future with a great team. I cannot wait to get started in my new role and I am really looking forward to experiencing my first game at Emirates Stadium together with our supporters.”

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