Manchester United’s New Number 10: How Cunha Fits Into Amorim’s System
Manchester United’s 24–25 Collapse
Manchester United were given a brutal reality check in the 2024–25 season, finishing 15th in the Premier League and losing the Europa League final to Tottenham Hotspur.
The appointment of Portuguese manager Rúben Amorim mid-season played a role in their bad performance as the players who had played in a back 4 system previously didn’t have enough time to adapt to the new back 3 system or didn’t suit the system altogether. While this was a major contributing factor, many things have gone wrong over the years at the club that have caused underwhelming results.
A History of Transfer Failures
One of the most criticised aspects of Manchester United in the post-Ferguson era has been their transfer business. Players who come into the club find it hard to live up to expectations and don’t hit the ground running.
In recent years, United have signed Antony for around £85 million, Jadon Sancho for £73 million, and Mason Mount for £60 million. While all three players were rated highly before they joined the Red Devils, they failed to produce results that justify their price tag.
An Ineffective Attack
Last season, United scored a total of 44 goals in the Premier League and struggled to get the ball into the back of the net. Players like Sancho and Mount who were signed to make the attack better didn’t feature for the club with Mount staying out injured and Sancho going out on loan after a fallout.
Manchester United cannot afford to spend big on signings that won’t work this summer as they are bound by FFP and desperately need to get better results on the pitch next season.
New Strategy Under INEOS
It looks like the new management under INEOS ownership has a clear vision of signing Premier League proven players rather than paying high prices for talents across Europe. Early in the window United were able to sign Cunha for £62.5 million.
The Brazilian attacker is 26 and will be approaching his peak years. He also has experience playing in Germany, Spain and England which indicates that he will not have to take time to adapt to the Premier League. Cunha’s experience and his qualities make him very different from signings United have made in the past.
Cunha’s Club Journey
Starting with futsal at the youth level, Cunha moved to Swiss side FC Sion at 18 to start his football journey. An incredible 16 goal contributions from 29 Super League games landed him a move to RB Leipzig. In one and a half seasons he gained valuable experience with Leipzig in the Bundesliga, Europa League and Champions League.
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The winter transfer window of 2020 saw Cunha move to Hertha BSC for €18 million. At Hertha, he played as the left-sided forward in a front two or at the left wing and had one of his most productive seasons in 2020–21 contributing 8 goals and 6 assists across all tournaments.
Move to Atletico and the Premier League
In the summer of 2021, Atletico Madrid, who played a front two system, signed the Brazilian striker. Cunha was used as a rotation player in LaLiga. Only 8 out of his 29 LaLiga appearances were starts and he managed to produce 6 goals and 4 assists in his first season in Spain.
In the 2022–23 season, he contributed 2 assists in 370 minutes of LaLiga football and moved to Wolverhampton Wanderers in December 2022 on a loan with €50 million obligation to buy.
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Thriving at Wolves
Cunha played the striker role in a 4-4-2 or a 4-2-3-1 system for Wolves initially. In the 2023–24 season he produced 14 goals and 8 assists across all competitions. In the summer of 2024 Wolves brought in Jørgen Strand Larsen after which Cunha played in a front two with the Norwegian or played right behind him as a 10.
In some instances he was used as a left winger in a 4-4-2. In December 2024, Wolves brought in Vítor Pereira to replace Gary O’Neil and the Portuguese manager switched to a 3-4-3 system. Since then Cunha has made the left-sided ten role his own. The Brazilian attacker produced 8 goals and 3 assists under Pereira and ended his 2024–25 Premier League campaign with 15 goals and 6 assists.
Analysing Cunha’s 2024–25 Stats
Apart from goals and assists Cunha has a great set of skills that every manager would love to have in an attacking player. He created 57 chances last season in the League and played 49 successful long balls and 26 successful crosses. His ability to go past opponents is elite, indicated by 61 dribbles completed and 71 fouls won.
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Defensively, Cunha is great all round. Some of the stats that stand out are 183 duels won and 125 recoveries. He also ranks above the 88th percentile for interceptions, blocks and possession won in the final third for a player in his position.
Cunha’s Style of Play and How He Fits into the Amorim System
Cunha is very direct and forward-oriented with his approach. He has exceptional pace and composure on the ball which helps him retain the ball and progress it through tight areas of the pitch. Combining his physical attributes with his simple yet effective dribbling technique makes him a master of taking on players and also attracting opponents which creates space for his teammates.
In the final third, Cunha is a nightmare to defend due to the wide range of shots he possesses. He is effective in scoring from outside the box and also finishes with composure from tight angles in the box. His ability to use grounded, defence-splitting through balls to find his teammates in goalscoring positions make him a dangerous playmaker.
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In defence, Cunha is an aggressive presser and does well to help his fullback/wingback. His defensive numbers are well above average in comparison to other attackers which make him a great asset.
Cunha: United’s Perfect Signing?
The Brazilian striker is the perfect player for Ruben Amorim at Manchester United at the moment. He has enough experience to hit the ground running. Just last season he played the left-sided 10 role in a 3-4-2-1 and he’ll be expected to play the same position under the Portuguese manager.
Cunha brings more directness into a team that has struggled to create chances and score goals. With his work rate the midfield and the defence will be harder to penetrate in contrast to the last season where the midfield looked like it didn’t exist. United’s new number 10 is also known for his great attitude and leadership which the current squad needs. Considering the current transfer market norms, £62.5 million is a great price to pay to get Cunha to Old Trafford.
By: Sriram Sundar / @Sriram_Sundar
Featured Image: @GabFoligno / Denis Doyle / Getty Images