Matheus Cunha is not part of Atletico Madrid’s Copa del Rey squad for tonight’s clash Arenteiro as the Brazil international closes in on a move to Premier League strugglers Wolves, as reported by Mundo Deportivo.
Despite not featuring at the Qatar World Cup, Cunha was nowhere to be seen as Diego Simeone’s side went head-to-head with Ponferradina in a friendly earlier this month. And the former RB Leipzig forward will be conspicuous by his absence once again in Galicia.
Atletico, set face fourth-tier CD Arenteiro in the Spanish cup, have confirmed that Cunha will not be part of their roster at the Estadio Espinedo.
The 23-year-old is on the verge of joining Wolverhampton Wanderers ahead of the January window. Per Fabrizio Romano, Julen Lopetegui’s side are set to sign Cunha on an initial loan deal; a permanent transfer potentially setting them back around £45 million.
“Cunha is at a point of departure. (He is) almost about to sign with his new club,” Simeone said on Wednesday.
“He’s a boy who gave us everything he had. We gave him everything we had. And either one was able to contribute the best of each other.”
Wolves close to signing Matheus Cunha from La Liga giants Atletico Madrid
Cunha has scored just seven goals in 54 games for the 2021 La Liga champions. He has only hit double figures once in his career too; the 2017/18 season at Swiss outfit FC Sion. It remains to be seen if Cunha is the player Wolves need as the bottom-of-the-table club look to improve upon a dismal record of eight goals in 15 Premier League games.
“I’ve seen a bit of him. He’s not really a goalscorer,” former England international Danny Murphy tells talkSPORT (21 December, 11.40am).
“He’s not blessed with that natural instinct. He likes to come and link, he’s got good feet, can go past people. But when you look at his goals-to-games ratio, he’s never been prolific.
“He’s talented, he’s strong, and can glide past people. But he’s not really a poacher. Wolves need goals and his goals-to-games ratio isn’t great. I’m just looking at the logic of the signing! They’ve got a lot of decent footballers who don’t score many goals, and they’ve just got another.”
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