Matheus Cunha to Arsenal transfer verdict - £60m concern, Alexander Isak point, Andrea Berta plan

Matheus Cunha hinted over the weekend that he could leave Wolves in the summer amid interest from Arsenal.

The Gunners are keen to strengthen their front line in the summer transfer window, football.london understands, with new sporting director Andrea Berta expected to be extremely busy in the months ahead. Cunha is just one of a handful of names to be linked with a move to Emirates Stadium, alongside the likes of Viktor Gyokeres, Alexander Isak and Benjamin Sesko.

Cunha, who has scored 15 goals in 29 appearances this campaign, has been a key figure for Wolves throughout the 2024/25 season and was linked with an exit in January. With Wolves battling relegation at the time, though, a move was never close but Cunha has now hinted that it could be time to finally move on.

“I had a lot of offers [in January] but I wouldn’t feel well if I had done it,” he told the Guardian. “Some things you can’t control but I couldn’t leave the club in the middle of the season, in a difficult situation, in the relegation zone.

“Now, we’re close to achieving our goal [of staying up]. But I’ve made it clear that I need to take the next step. I want to fight for titles, for big things. I have potential.”

Cunha could be available for around £60million and is likely to have a number of clubs after his signature. But should Arsenal make the move for the Brazilian? football.london's writers have their say, below!

Sam Truelove

I don't actually think Matheus Cunha is a player Arsenal need right now. The Gunners need a clinical finisher. A striker who is happy to not touch the ball for an extended period but then be in the right place at the right time to put the ball in the back of the net. Cunha is not that.

The Brazilian likes to drop slightly deeper and make things happen out of nothing. He is a creative player as much as he is a goalscorer. Some of his goals this season have been from long range because he just simply hasn't got the options around him, so he may as well have a go from range. At Arsenal, he probably won't be afforded that luxury.

If he were to join, though, Cunha would probably do well. In my opinion they need more of an out and out striker, such as Isak or Gyokeres. £60million is a lot of money and with Arsenal also in the market for a wide forward, central midfielder and goalkeeper, they must get this signing right.

Tom Coley

Cunha to Arsenal does not seem necessary. He is a very good player and may well go on to be excellent somewhere away from north London, but with Martin Odegaard and Ethan Nwaneri, why do Arsenal need another attacking midfielder?

Injuries may well scare them after this season but having the three of them would be a lot of talent for what is effectively one spot. Only Nwaneri is really able to play wide as well.

Given Arsenal need to look elsewhere in the window, even going as far as £50million for Cunha would be wasteful. He is an exciting player able to split open matches in a way Arsenal currently lack but that still doesn't make this deal right.

Kieran King

For me, Arsenal should avoid the temptation of signing Matheus Cunha. He is a sensational footballer and one that would add more strength-in-depth to the Gunners' forward line, but is he someone that the Gunners need and would fit the system? I don't think so.

He is not an out-and-out No.9 and doesn't suit being the lone man up front. Instead, Cunha prefers to be used as the second striker or deeper in the attacking midfield area. Arsenal have Martin Odegaard in that position right now, and he won't be dropped to accommodate Cunha.

Yes, there is case to sign Cunha and act as back-up to Odegaard if he gets injured, as he did earlier this season, but the Gunners would be better using the reported £60million on other areas of the squad.

For me, a centre-forward, defensive midfielder and left winger are more important right now. And if the Gunners have the budget to sign a new No.10 or second striker, they should go for a cheaper alternative.

Joe Doyle

I wouldn't exactly say Cunha is top of the list of priorities for Arsenal at the moment, but I do think it's a deal worth exploring.

If they could get him for a good price, it would really help ease the creative burden that we've seen fall on Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka in the last couple of years. You can never have enough technically-gifted stars, in my opinion, so adding Cunha to the midfield could allow Declan Rice to drop back and really raise the bar in terms of attacking output.

If they could sign him in addition to a No.9 it'd be a fantastic attacking move. But unfortunately, he's not the priority target for me.

Jack Flintham

Cunha has performed brilliantly for Wolves this season and it is clear the forward has almost single-handedly kept them in the Premier League for another season. His desire to move to another club that is challenging for trophies is fair and understandable.

However, at a £60million price tag it is hard to see if he would represent value for money. When Cunha moved to Atletico Madrid, there was high hopes for him after impressing at Hertha Berlin but he did not kick on.

Wolves offered him a chance to find his feet again and he has done that but you wonder if the pressure of playing for a top club is too much. He also doesn't fit the bill of the striker that Arsenal have been looking at.

Alexander Isak, Viktor Gyokeres and Victor Osimhen all have notable traits of strength, physicality and aerial presence which Cunha doesn't necessarily hold. £40m or less and I would say go for it but I think £60million could be better spent elsewhere.

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