Gary Neville has made a declaration surrounding the man he believes can be key for Manchester United heading into next season, and for once, his name is not Bruno Fernandes.
Manchester United will be overjoyed Bruno Fernandes has decided to remain at the club next season after heavy interest from Al Hilal, but they are determined not to leave him to carry the burden at the club all by himself.
Signings have been made already to address the overreliance on the brilliance of the Portuguese midfielder, after he finished the season yet again as the club’s top goal scorer and the club’s top assist maker.
Gary Neville has been speaking ahead of the new season, making some suggestions over who could be key for his former side in the Premier League, and he has highlighted one man who he feels could provide a spark for United.
The player in question is not the captain, Bruno Fernandes, with the former England international believing a brand new signing could be a key man for the Reds next season.
Neville tips Cunha for success
Gary Neville has tipped Matheus Cunha for success going into next season, and he believes the Brazilian could be a success at Old Trafford.
Cunha, who signed for United last week in a £62.5 million deal from Wolverhampton Wanderers, scored 15 goals in the Premier League last season, the joint most of any Brazilian in the history of the league in a single campaign.
Neville believes the former Atletico Madrid attacker can be a catalyst for change at United and believes he can provide a ‘spark’ for the club.
Speaking on his podcast, It’s Called Soccer, Neville had the following to say about the forward: “When your club signs a player, you should be excited. We know some of the players that play in his position are going to leave.
“Cunha’s goals have been growing in the last couple of years. He had a decent return for a club that has been near the bottom of the Premier League [rather] than the top.
“Am I excited? Yeah, I am excited by it because United need players who know the Premier League, have got a bit more robustness about them in terms of what they’ve been through before and being at Wolves… that’ll be tough because they lose quite a few matches.”
“I’m hoping he comes to Old Trafford and sees this vast pitch, this amazing stadium, with 75,000 fans who love a player who can take someone on, someone who can travel with the ball.
“I’m hoping that he can shine a light. I’m not saying one player is going to change what’s going on at the moment, but one player can be a spark.”
Cunha has been linked with the club since before Erik ten Hag became manager and has been a long-standing target internally at Old Trafford. Rúben Amorim is expected to deploy Cunha in the left ten position, with potential signing Bryan Mbeumo is anticipated to take up the right ten role, with Amad dropping back.
Neville’s positive words will be a nice touch for Cunha to hear, as the opinion of legends when you join a new club can be an important aspect of settling in. Leny Yoro’s positive relationship with Rio Ferdinand last year was a huge example of that.
Cunha has the personality to succeed
There has been a longstanding belief that one needs to possess a certain type of personality to succeed in an environment like Old Trafford, and Cunha seems to have that in abundance.
The swagger and aura the Brazilian possesses are palpable, and he has that edge to his game that a United side, which has been regarded as too nice, may need to get back to the top.
Cunha fits the system like a glove for Amorim and automatically brings goals to the team, which it struggled to find so much of last season.
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Alejandro Garnancho is anticipated to make way in the next couple of weeks, with Aston Villa showing an interest, meaning the left ten role is Cunha’s for the season.
If he can produce anything close to the level of performance he did last season for Wolves, and hopefully beyond, United have got one of the best players in the Premier League on their hands.
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