Manchester United are keenly tracking the uncertain future of Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder Matheus Nunes.
What’s the latest on Matheus Nunes' future?
According to Football Insider, the Red Devils are very interested in bringing the 24-year-old to Old Trafford this summer as Erik ten Hag is searching to bolster his midfield options.
This outlet previously revealed that Premier League rivals Liverpool are also big admirers of Nunes and it's believed a fee in the region of £50m would be sufficient to persuade the Wolves' hierarchy to sell.
As well as these English giants, Catalan juggernaut Barcelona have also been linked with the Portuguese, who is set to be the epicentre of an enthralling transfer race.
Why do Wolves have to keep Nunes?
The Midlands club were bottom of the league with ten points from their opening 15 league games when Julen Lopetegui took over, but his managerial stint has overseen a tremendous rise to 13th position.
One of the key reasons for the Spaniard’s resurgence has been the incredible form of Nunes, who has been a pillar of energy, calmness, and meticulous technique in the centre of the park.
He has excelled as an imperious ball-carrier and a key contributor to the most threatening phases of Wolves’ attacking play – this is showcased by the fact he ranks in the top 17% in Europe’s top five leagues among his positional peers for progressive carries.
Even more impressively, the 11-cap international ranks in the top 7% for successful take-ons to reflect his ridiculous dribbling ability, which very few central midfielders possess to this extraordinary level.
His Portuguese teammate Bruno Fernandes even hailed the former Sporting CP prodigy as “incredible” thanks to his consistency.
The midfield engine recently netted his first Premier League goal of the season – a sumptuous half-volley against Chelsea to condemn caretaker boss Frank Lampard to a defeat in his first game in charge in his second spell at the Stamford Bridge helm.
In the showdown versus the Blues, the £85k-per-week ace registered a 7.9 rating, had 63 touches, completed 100% of his dribbles, won ten ground duels, and recorded three accurate long balls, as per Sofascore. It was an all-round masterclass from a player that has evolved as one of Wolves’ prized assets.
Much of the attention is rightly focused on the possible departure of club captain Ruben Neves, and he would be some loss. That said, with his exit having been on the cards for some time now, it would surely sting more if they were to lose someone they invested in so heavily a matter of months ago.
Indeed, unlike Neves, the £40m-rated technician offers a higher degree of energy, tenacity, and talented dribbling. He is the more progressive of the two, and crucially, has a potentially higher ceiling given his age of just 24.