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Wolves have unearthed a new £65m + star in the making

Saturday afternoon saw Wolverhampton Wanderers finally get their first win of the season. After a long ten games without a win this term, the Midlands club beat Southampton 2-0 at Molineux to lift them off the bottom of the Premier League table.

What made the victory even more special for the Old Gold was the fact it was in front of a returning fan favourite. Former club captain Ruben Neves was at Molineux to see the club’s first win of the season.

He was certainly a lucky charm and received a superb reception after his departure from the club in 2023.

Neves’ Wolves career

Wolves made an incredible profit on Portugal international Neves. They initially signed him from Porto as a 20-year-old for £15.8m in 2017, a fee that was a record for a Championship club at the time.

Wolves have unearthed a new £65m + star in the making

His departure two summers ago saw him join Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal for £47m, which was a record sale for the Old Gold until a few weeks later when Manchester City signed Matheus Nunes.

In total, the midfielder played 253 times for the club, scoring 30 times and registering 13 assists. That included one season in the Championship. Neves starred in the centre of the park as he helped the Midlands side return to the top flight, where he continued to kick on and even helped the club reach the Europa League.

The experienced midfielder was given the club’s captaincy for what turned out to be his final season in 2022. The decision was made by then-manager Bruno Lage, upon the departure of Conor Coady who previously wore the armband.

Neves was certainly a big player for Wolves throughout the years he was at Molineux. Losing him, along with a few other key players in 2023 and 2024, was a big blow. Supporters of the Old Gold may have to brace themselves again, because another of their star men could end up fetching even more than Neves, given his impressive performances.

Wolves’ next big sale

The man in question here is Brazilian attacker Matheus Cunha. The 25-year-old joined the club from Atletico Madrid in January 2023, initially on a loan, which became permanent in 2023 for £40m.

He has been a revelation at Molineux so far. The former Atleti attacker has scored 21 goals and has 11 assists in just 68 games. He is flying this term, with five goals and two assists to his name in 11 appearances.

Cunha stats by season for Wolves (all comps)

Stat

2022/23

2023/24

2024/25

Games

20

36

12

Minutes

1055

2772

907

Goals

2

14

5

Assists

1

8

2

Stats from Transfermarkt

Comparisons can be made between the versatile forward and several other Premier League stars, including Joshua Zirkzee of Manchester United. However, Arsenal ace Kai Havertz is one of the most similar players to him, according to FBref.

Matheus Cunha similar players

Indeed, the stats certainly suggest there are similarities between the Gunners’ number 29 and Wolves’ Brazilian star. Interestingly, Cunha is actually outscoring the German, who has four goals to his name.

When comparing their passing stats, the similarities are there to see. Per 90 minutes in the Premier League this season, Cunha averages 3.98 progressive passes and 1.94 key passes. Comparatively, Havertz is slightly behind, with exactly three progressive passes and 0.82 key passes each game.

Arsenal-Kai-Havertz

The Old Gold attacker also averages far more progressive carries than Arsenal’s centre-forward, with 3.57 compared to 1.82 each game. The German international also ranks slightly less than the Wolves man when it comes to carries into the final third. Havertz plays 1.45 each game, compared to 2.96 for Cunha.

A carry is considered progressive if the ball is moved towards the opponent’s goal at least 10 yards from its starting point or is carried into the penalty area.

Stylistically, the pair are similar, but the stats certainly suggest Cunha is having a better time of things this term. Given Arsenal paid £65m for the German attacker, it is not outrageous to think he will go for a similar amount.

There is interest in signing him, according to reports, explaining that some top-flight clubs are starting to “pay close attention” to the Brazilian’s progress.

Cunha-Gomes-Guedes-Wolves-Premier-League

After an exceptional few seasons in the Midlands, it does not seem far-fetched to believe Cunha could become Wolves’ next multi-million-pound sale, following in the footsteps of Neves.

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