Andrea Berta set to lose £63m Arsenal transfer race to Premier League rival

Andrea Berta is set to be handed his first decisive transfer defeat as Arsenal technical director with Premier League rivals Manchester United emerging as strong frontrunners to recruit Wolves striker Matheus Cunha this summer.

The 25-year-old has been linked with several top flight sides, including the Gunners and Tottenham Hotspur, with a £62.5 million release clause in his deal at Molineux making a summer switch a very realistic possibility. Cunha has bagged 14 Premier League goals this season in an impressive run of form in the Midlands.

Sky Sports News last week reported that Cunha was very high on Ruben Amorim’s shopping list for the Red Devils this summer. Manchester United have looked toothless this season with Rasmus Hojlund struggling for goals as he leads the line.

Arsenal set to miss out on Wolves transfer

Cunha is a proven goalscorer at this level but has also shown himself to be hot headed with suspensions becoming a regularity for the player. The striker saw a three match ban extended to four by the FA and a fine of £50,000 imposed for clashing with AFC Bournemouth defender Milos Kerkez earlier this year.

The Brazilian signed for Wolves from Atletico Madrid in 2022 for around £34 million and had emerged as a potential signing for Berta. The new Arsenal technical director helped bring the player to Atletico while with the Spanish club and is known to be a fan of the striker.

TBR Football had reported that Berta held a desire to sign the player again. The Gunners had been linked with the player already in January but no move came at the time with Cunha signing a new deal with Wolves, which included the release clause.

Former Arsenal star Julio Baptista had also urged the London outfit to push forwards and sign the player. He told FootItalia: “People talk about Matheus Cunha, the Brazilian. He’s done incredible stuff at Wolves, so maybe he’s the player that Arsenal need.

"Arsenal need to take a look at him, I think. Cunha should definitely be on their shortlist. He has performed brilliantly in a team that has found life difficult at times this season, so you would think that at Arsenal he would score even more goals given the chances that they create and the way they dominate most games. He would also be playing with better players."

Manchester United in ‘positive’ talks with Matheus Cunha

However, it appears that Arsenal will have to look elsewhere with Cunha’s talks at Manchester United making fast progress. In an update on Tuesday, transfer guru Fabrizio Romano wrote on social media platform X: “More on Matheus Cunha and Man United. The feeling between player side and club side on new meeting was very positive, after project explained and terms discussed. More meetings will be needed but Man United feel they’re leading the race for Cunha, as reported yesterday.”

Arsenal continue to be linked with other striking options to lead the line and take the burden of Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus. Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak continues to be linked with a move to the Emirates Stadium while Sporting CP star Viktor Gyokeres is perhaps a more realistic option as he continues to score for fun in Portugal.

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