Manchester United have agreed a deal with Matheus Cunha to make him the first signing for Ruben Amorim in the upcoming summer transfer window.
Manchester United’s summer has begun with intensity, as Ruben Amorim wastes no time in reshaping his squad for the upcoming season.
Jonny Evans, Christian Eriksen, and Victor Lindelöf will all leave when their contracts expire next month, and reports suggest that Amorim has told Alejandro Garnacho he is free to seek a move elsewhere.
The Portuguese manager is prioritising reinforcements in key positions, with a focus on bolstering the attack and bringing in a new midfielder.
Matheus Cunha is the priority target for those at Old Trafford and reports from various journalists, including Fabrizio Romano, say that an agreement is now in place for that deal.
Cunha is expected to undergo his medical at Carrington over the next week and be signed well in time for the start of the club’s pre-season later this summer.
How much United will actually pay for Cunha this summer
United are expected to activate the £62.5 million release clause in Cunha’s contract at Wolves soon. Some reports had suggested that United would pay some extra cash in order to be able to pay the amount in instalments.
According to BBC Sport correspondent Sami Mokbel, that is not the case as the release clause itself will allow United to pay the large fee over three different instalments.
The reporter explained that United will have to pay the entire amount by the end of the 2026/27 campaign, with the first instalment coming when they complete the signing in the coming weeks.
That amount has been revealed to be £20.8 million, leaving £41.7 million to be paid over the next two payments, which are expected to come at the end of each of the next two seasons.
United making positive financial and football decision
So in reality, United are only paying just over £20 million in this summer window to sign Cunha, which sounds absolutely brilliant, doesn’t it?
Of course, it isn’t as significant as it might seem but it certainly has a positive impact on the PSR situation and helps the cash flow situation in a club that isn’t financially stable at the moment.
United have been teetering on the right side of the PSR line in recent years. The rules state that no Premier League team can have made a loss greater than £105m across the previous three seasons in their accounts.
In order to combat that, teams are able to spread the cost of their signings over multiple years to try and avoid punishment but that is not always the case for release clauses. For example, the Reds paid extra for Joshua Zirkzee last year for more favourable payment terms with Bologna.
Many United fans will be much more excited to see what Cunha has to offer on the pitch, but this does seem to be a good move from the club in financial and footballing terms.
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