Matheus Cunha has shown himself to be looking forward to Manchester United’s first Premier League game of the season, which will be his debut for the club.
While Manchester United remain focused on the summer transfer window, Rúben Amorim is busy preparing his squad for the start of the new Premier League campaign.
United’s pre-season begins in mid-July, with five fixtures lined up. First up is a trip to Sweden to face familiar rivals Leeds United at the Strawberry Arena.
The squad will then head to the United States for matches against West Ham, Bournemouth, and Everton, before concluding their preparations at Old Trafford against Fiorentina, now featuring former United goalkeeper David de Gea, just a week before the league commences.
The Premier League have confirmed that United will open their 2025/26 season with a blockbuster clash against Arsenal at Old Trafford on Sunday, 17 August, with kick-off scheduled for 16:30 BST.
Cunha ready for United Premier League debut
While the fixture against Arsenal will represent his fourth season in the Premier League, United’s new £62.5 million signing, Matheus Cunha, will be debuting for his new club as the two English giants face off.
Cunha, joining from Wolverhampton Wanderers, has been brought to Old Trafford to become a new focal point in Amorim’s front line, and will have a full pre-season under his belt before playing out his debut at the Manchester ground.
While no players reacted to United’s fixture list post announcing the opening game of the season against Arsenal, Cunha sure showed his excitement for the tie, liking a post from the Instagram account @433 that featured him and Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka as the headline names in the tie.
Saka is well known to be Arsenal’s most dynamic forward, and Cunha certainly filled that profile for United. There is little doubt that Cunha will be up to the challenge of dethroning Saka as one of the most dangerous attacking players in the league.
It will be interesting to see who will come out on top both during the fixture and throughout the next campaign.
Cantona-esque Cunha could change United’s fortunes
United’s transfer business this summer will be dominated by new attacking signings. Cunha is expected to be joined by Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo and a new starting striker by the time pre-season commences next month.
United’s CEO, Omar Berrada, has not been one to talk down the transfer, stating that he feels Cunha’s swagger and confidence could be transformative at the club in the way Eric Cantona’s was for Sir Alex Ferguson when the French striker signed in November 1992.
“He’s a player that I think fans are going to love,” Berrada said, via The Athletic. “We can talk about his technical abilities, and he can play in three different positions. He’s a playmaking attacking midfielder; he can score goals, he can make assists.
“I think he’s going to lift people off their seats. He’s got a bit of a swagger about him that people are going to really like. Dare I say, Cantona-esque.”
United have lacked a consistent cutting edge since Marcus Rashford was exiled from the squad and Rasmus Højlund’s form dropped off, and Cunha could be just the man to turn Amorim’s fortunes around.
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