Aston Villa manager Unai Emery will be kept busy over the next few days, especially as the January transfer window closes on Monday evening.
Will the Spaniard add any more players to his squad? With Jhon Duran’s departure imminent, another attacking option would certainly go down a treat with the supporters.
Donyell Malen has already moved to the Midlands, but Emery doesn’t appear to be content with just one signing, that’s for sure.
A raid on another Premier League club may well be in the works and, if successful, it could turn out to be a smart move indeed…
Aston Villa weighing up move for Premier League star
Duran’s departure to Saudi Arabia will leave a glaring hole in Villa’s attack. With that in mind, The Athletic has reported that Manchester United’s wantaway star, Marcus Rashford, is a potential target, with the club ‘in talks’ regarding a late deal at the request of Emery.
According to the Guardian, however, the Midlands side are also weighing up a move for another Premier League star, in the form of Wolverhampton Wanderers talisman Matheus Cunha.
Nottingham Forest have also shown interest in the Brazilian, while Arsenal have regularly been linked with a move for the Wolves gem. Could Villa beat them both to his signature?
It could take a fee of around £70m for Emery to land the former Atlético Madrid gem, which may prove to be a stumbling block. If he does sign, Cunha could form a wonderful partnership with Ollie Watkins.
Matheus Cunha’s season in numbers
It is no secret that Watkins hasn’t enjoyed the most productive of campaigns, scoring 11 goals across 32 matches, which is a far cry from his form during 2023/24.
Having a player like Cunha operating directly behind him could supercharge the English striker, making him unplayable between now and the end of the season.
|
Matheus Cunha’s Premier League stats for Wolves |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Metric |
2022/23 |
2023/24 |
2024/25 |
|
Goals |
2 |
12 |
10 |
|
Assists |
0 |
7 |
4 |
|
Big chances created |
1 |
7 |
11 |
|
Successful dribbles per game |
1.5 |
2 |
1.9 |
|
Key passes per game |
0.4 |
0.9 |
1.7 |
If it weren’t for Cunha, Wolves would have next to no hope of retaining their Premier League status for next term. In 22 top-flight games, the 25-year-old has scored ten goals while recording four assists. The aforementioned Rashford, for instance, has scored just four league goals in 2024/25, and only 11 league goals in total since the start of last season.
Hailed as a “monster” by his Molineux teammate Joao Gomes, Cunha has also contributed in other ways. Aside from his goal contributions, the Brazilian has also created an impressive 11 big chances and succeeded with 1.9 dribbles while averaging 1.7 key passes per game for the Old Gold in the Premier League.
These qualities have certainly caught the eye and if Wolves do suffer relegation this season, there is no doubt Cunha will remain in the top flight.
When compared to his positional peers in the top flight, the Wolves’ dynamo currently ranks in the top 10% for total shots (3.38) and non-penalty goals (0.5), while also ranking in the top 18% for successful take-ons (2.07) and in the top 14% for passes into the final third (3.43) per 90.
These latter two metrics will be of excellent use to Watkins, who could thrive by racing onto Cunha’s through balls while getting on the end of any crosses he delivers after successfully beating defenders on the wing.
With the last-16 of the Champions League to come, plus FA Cup and Premier League games to focus on, Emery would be enhancing his squad should he fend off competitors to land Cunha’s signature. He may not come cheap, but the Brazilian would be the perfect Rashford alternative.
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