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Leeds tried to sign £44m star in January 2023, has nine goals in the Premier League this season

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Wolves are a great watch at the moment. Gary O’Neil has really improved the side that Leeds United did the double over last term – and one player that has turned his form around is Matheus Cunha.

Last season, Wolves finished in 13th but only three points above 16th. They were poor. In the summer, they sacked their manager and made a profit north of £100m in player sales. Relegation was possible.

O’Neil replaced Julen Lopetegui and he’s got the best out of the players he does have available to him. Players like Craig Dawson, Pedro Neto, Rayan Ait-Nouri and Matt Doherty have starred under O’Neil.

Wolves won 41 points last season and already this time around – with 15 games still to play, O’Neil has amassed 32. He is getting the best out of his current players, like Cunha and plenty of other stars.

The former Atletico Madrid star joined Wolves on loan with a £44m obligation in January 2023, but he struggled. In his first 20 games, just two goals and an assist. This season, he has played 27 times.

Chelsea FC v Wolverhampton Wanderers - Premier League
Photo by Jack Thomas – WWFC/Wolves via Getty Images

Leeds wanted Matheus Cunha, has nine Premier League goals

In that time, Cunha has scored 11 goals and laid on seven assists. In his 23 League games this season, nine goals and six assists – netting a hat-trick on Sunday as Wolves beat Chelsea 4-2 in West London.

It comes just 12 months after Leeds were interested in signing Cunha. Leeds tried to sign him in the 2023 winter window, after being linked during Marcelo Bielsa’s reign. Leeds were ‘seriously interested’.

But the lure of Wolves tempted Cunha, likely because of the Brazilian – or Portuguese-speaking – players at Wolves. But certainly, his form for Wolves will have proved why Leeds wanted to sign him.