Manchester United beat West Ham United 2-1 in a pre-season friendly in America on Saturday, thanks to two goals from captain Bruno Fernandes.
It was another chance for the supporters to watch new signing Matheus Cunha in action, although he was not joined by fellow new recruit Bryan Mbeumo.
The Red Devils reportedly splashed out a fee of £62.5m to bring the right-footed playmaker to Old Trafford during the summer transfer window, but he has yet to produce a goal or an assist in two pre-season outings.
That should not be a cause for concern, though, because these games are mostly about fitness and ensuring that Ruben Amorim’s players are well-prepared for the 2025/26 campaign.
Fans should judge Cunha when the real action, in the Premier League, gets underway next month because he is a star who has already showcased his qualities at that level.
What Matheus Cunha will bring to Manchester United
The Brazil international has the potential to be a terrific addition to the squad for the Red Devils because of the threat that he carries at the top end of the pitch.
Cunha is an attacking midfielder who can provide goals and assists on a regular basis in the Premier League, having already proven himself in the division during his time at Wolves.
He can also slot straight into Amorim’s system as the attacker also played as one of two number ten options behind a central striker in a 3-4-2-1 system last season, which means that it may not take him much time, if any, to adapt to the tactical set-up.
In the last two seasons, Cunha has showcased his ability to consistently create high-quality chances for his teammates, whilst also offering a big threat as a goalscorer, in the Premier League.
|
Matheus Cunha (Premier League) |
23/24 |
24/25 |
|---|---|---|
|
Appearances |
32 |
33 |
|
xG |
9.49 |
8.63 |
|
Goals |
12 |
15 |
|
Big chances created |
7 |
13 |
|
Key passes per game |
0.9 |
1.8 |
|
Assists |
7 |
6 |
As you can see in the table above, the Brazilian star was let down by wasteful finishing from his Wolves teammates, as they only scored 13 goals from the 20 ‘big chances’ that he created.
The £62.5m-rated star also showed that he has the finishing quality to be incredibly effective with his own opportunities, outperforming his xG in both campaigns.
This suggests that Cunha would benefit from playing behind a lethal striker who can make the most of the chances that he creates, and the club are reportedly interested in an attacker who would fit the bill.
Man Utd to discuss deal for £60m striker
According to Fabrizio Romano, Manchester United remain interested in a potential deal to sign RB Leipzig centre-forward Benjamin Sesko before the end of the summer transfer window.
The Italian journalist claims that the Red Devils are set to hold internal talks over a possible swoop to bring the Slovenia international to Old Trafford in the next week or so.
Speaking on the Here We Go podcast, Romano said: “Keep an eye on this story (Sesko) in the coming days as Newcastle will go with an important proposal and Manchester United will discuss again internally with Ruben Amorim involved in the conversations, with the directors and with the financials to understand if they can do a deal or not. The Sesko situation will be one to watch in the next 7-10 days.”
His comments suggest that the Red Devils may have to move quickly if they want to do a deal for the right-footed star, though, as Newcastle United are preparing a bid for the former Salzburg sensation.
It was recently reported that it could take a fee of around £60m in order to convince Leipzig to part ways with the 22-year-old number nine, and it remains to be seen if United are willing to pay that for the forward.
Why Manchester United should sign Benjamin Sesko
The Red Devils should push to secure a deal for the Slovenian attacker this summer because he could come in as the perfect foil for Cunha at the top end of the pitch.
As aforementioned, the Brazilian magician has the ability to consistently create high-quality chances for his teammates in the Premier League, but was let down by the finishing of his Wolves teammates last season.
Sesko is a striker who has the quality to make the most of Cunha’s creativity, ensuring that the attacking midfielder is justly rewarded for the ‘big chances’ that he creates, based on his performances in Germany.
The Leipzig star’s form in the 2024/25 campaign shows that he is an efficient finisher who can outperform the quality of chances that he gets in front of goal, both domestically and on the European stage.
|
Benjamin Sesko (24/25) |
Bundesliga |
Champions League |
|---|---|---|
|
Appearances |
33 |
8 |
|
xG |
9.89 |
3.57 |
|
Goals |
13 |
4 |
|
Minutes per goal |
185 |
131 |
|
Big chances created |
5 |
0 |
|
Assists |
5 |
0 |
As you can see in the table above, Sesko outperformed his xG in the Bundesliga and in the Champions League, which speaks to the quality and efficiency of his finishing, and averaged a goal every 131 minutes in Europe.
The 22-year-old dynamo, who was described as a “monster” by analyst Ben Mattinson, also scored 14 goals from 7.66 xG in the Bundesliga in the 2023/24 campaign, which shows that his form last season was not a flash in the pan as he has consistently provided a clinical presence in front of goal.
Sesko is an incredibly talented finisher, with room to grow at the age of 22, and he could arrive as a big upgrade on Rasmus Hojlund, who scored four goals from 5.24 xG in the Premier League last season.
Therefore, the £60m-rated star could be amazing with Cunha because it would provide the former Wolves man with a high-quality finisher in front of him, which is something he did not have with the Old Gold last term.
Related
Ideal for Bruno: Man Utd racing to sign £42m star, his agent is in the UK
Manchester United need to act quickly if they are to secure a move for one star this summer.
Therefore, Sesko could be a fantastic signing for the Red Devils to complete their attacking alongside Cunha and Mbeumo if they can get a deal over the line, beating Newcastle to his signature, before the end of the summer transfer window.
