Man Utd are in ongoing talks to sign Cunha’s £50m rival

Brazil are back at the World Cup this summer, and that’s thanks to Manchester United’s Matheus Cunha, the 27-year-old who stole the show in the recent 3-0 win over Haiti.

The former Wolverhampton Wanderers man netted the opener, before adding a second in a manner United fans are used to seeing later, hitting the ball into the roof of the net in fine style.

A trademark sweeping celebration followed, with the £62.5m signing ending last season at club level, after amassing ten Premier League goals following his arrival in Manchester.

Having recently made an impact under Michael Carrick as the campaign progressed, Cunha may feel he still has a left wing stitched up ahead of next term, although one potential arrival may say otherwise.

Man Utd “keep calling” for £50m star signing deal

Off the pitch, new manager Carrick’s priorities are likely to be the left-back, with Patrick Dorgu’s long-term future at Old Trafford yet to be determined.

There was also talk that a return for Marcus Rashford could be on the cards, after Barcelona failed to exercise an option to buy the England international, despite the 28-year-old enjoying a solid season on loan at Camp Nou.

The subject of Rashford’s return could become a pressing one amid his World Cup form, with the exiled United striker scoring a stunning goal in England’s win over Croatia earlier this week.

He is not the only one who has attracted the attention of his country, however the Red Devils are still working to sign the star of the Netherlands, Crysencio Summerville, as revealed by Fabrizio Romano.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano revealed that INEOS “keep inquiring” about a possible move for the West Ham United man, who appears to be fielding regular calls on their Mateus Fernandes side.

Those talks appear to have gained momentum in “recent days and weeks”, although it remains to be seen whether the Old Trafford club will come out to meet the £50m price tag.

Why Summerville’s signing would be bad news for Cunha

The recruitment process has come under fire at Man United for over a decade now, with even INEOS’ first summer going badly, with Manuel Ugarte and Joshua Zirkzee already looking set to leave, while Leny Yoro and Matthijs de Ligt have been ruled out by injury.

However, on the positive side, 2025 marked a major improvement this time around, with Senne Lammens shining in the sticks, as three of United’s attacking players reached double figures in league goals.

That was the first time since Arsenal in 2012/13 that three new players have achieved that, and Cunha has grown into the role after a quiet start for the club.

Carrick isn’t afraid to leave him out at times, though, as he did in his first two games against Arsenal and Manchester City, liking Dorgu’s pace and power in those high-profile encounters.

That’s something Summerville can offer in abundance, the fleet-footed speedster could provide a direct threat in Cunha’s starting role on the left.

Comfortable on either side, the former Leeds United man scored from the right in Holland’s 2-2 draw with Japan last week, curling the ball into the far corner with his allegedly weak left foot.

It is on the other side that his best career in a West Ham shirt has come, however, scoring five league goals in 2026, as well as two in the FA Cup.

A sensational man, like Cunha, Summerville also emulates the Brazilian in terms of his ability to handle the ball, posing such a threat to opposition defenders.

Indeed, in the Premier League in 2025/26, he achieved 1.6 successful dribbles per game, while ranking ninth in the league in terms of overall successful dribbles.

Cunha, by comparison, finished 13th in that same metric, averaging 1.3 per game.

United’s number 10 was fairly clear in terms of goals, although both men chipped in with two assists and created four “big chances”, suggesting that the difference in quality is not too significant.

Summerville may not be an upgrade on Cunha, but he would certainly represent a real contender in that left-back position, largely due to his status as a more orthodox winger than the South American.