Matheus Cunha says he hopes to ‘manage’ his main problem at Wolves better for Manchester United. ‘I am very…’

Matheus Cunha is fitting in at Manchester United following his £62.5 million move from Wolves in June, but he is conscious of the significant step up he is taking.

Manchester United is currently considered a sleeping giant, but the club’s global presence can make it difficult to attract new talent.

This has been the case in recent years, particularly for Rasmus Hojlund and Antony, who have been unable to reproduce their exploits abroad given the weight of the United shirt.

When making a signing, character should be just as vital as on-field ability, yet United overlooked this for years, resulting in a poor group with little fight or passion on the pitch.

Bruno Fernandes was the only player in the group with both skill and attitude, leading to frustration as he was responsible for the team’s success on his own.

However, this summer, United welcomed a like-minded player to its team.

Matheus Cunha acknowledges he hopes his days of aggressiveness are behind him.

Manchester United bought Cunha from Wolves at the start of the summer transfer window, paying his £62.5 million release clause and increasing the offensive alternatives for Ruben Amorim.

Cunha, 26, is not just an outstanding footballer, but also a character that the squad has lacked. Wayne Rooney praised Cunha’s fighting spirit, citing its potential to motivate his colleagues, akin to Eric Cantona under Sir Alex Ferguson.

Cunha, who is preparing to play his second game for the club, recently spoke with MUTV. When asked about his passion and fight, he stated that he wants to maintain a calm demeanour moving forward.

“Yeah, this [passion] is sometimes really nice and sometimes not the finest thing to do, but I am quite emotional. I agree that I express my feelings in the game; I give my all, if not more, since I enjoy it.

“Like I say, it is a privilege to play for this team, I have had a beautiful career but when you start here, I hope I can control it a little bit more.”

Cunha has often been likened to Cantona because of his maverick spirit and ability, which position him as United’s captain. Last month, Cunha compared himself to Rooney, stating that they both have a strong drive to succeed in their games.

Cunha, on the other hand, will not seek to duplicate the levels of passion and fight he achieved with Wolves.

Matheus Cunha cannot replicate the Wolves disaster at Manchester United.

Cunha’s will to win and aggression on the pitch are beneficial to Manchester United, but he must be careful not to let them go too far.

During the 2024/25 season, Cunha was suspended for misbehaviour following a heated fight with an Ipswich Town staff member after the final whistle.

Cunha was also suspended for an extended amount of time last season in March due to violent conduct on the pitch, which resulted in him being red carded and receiving a further ban.

Cunha has said that all of this is behind him, and he appears to be in fantastic mental shape for United, but as he stated in this interview, he must avoid allowing his emotions to take over when playing for the Red Devils.

The national press would have a field day with Cunha if he behaved similarly, thus his maturity must be maintained throughout.