Wolverhampton Wanderers have been excellent this season under Gary O’Neil, with the side already beating their points tally from last campaign.
Therefore, it’s no surprise to see that the Wolves squad is now extremely valuable, with plenty of Premier League rivals keeping an eye on the Wanderers’ stars.
Pedro Neto, Joao Gomes, and Max Kilman are all valuable assets that could be on the move this summer, but there’s one player who won’t be going anywhere.
The forward only joined permanently in the summer, but he’s already estimated to be worth the same as former Wolves ace Diogo Jota.
What Wolves paid for Matheus Cunha
In January 2023, Wolves confirmed the signing of Matheus Cunha on a loan deal from Atletico Madrid after lacking minutes in La Liga.
However, the Premier League side weren’t going into the deal blinded, as the Brazilian had scored six goals and provided six assists in eight starts during his first campaign in Spain.
During the second half of the 2022/23 campaign, Cunha only scored twice in 17 Premier League games, but he was still showing his quality despite his low output.
The fact that Wolves had an obligation to buy the attacker for £44m did cause slight concerns within the fanbase, particularly because of his start to life at the club, but he’s certainly put those concerns to bed this season.
Cunha’s 23/24 stats and market value
Signing a player for £44m was definitely a huge risk for Fosun Sports Group, but even that figure is looking like good value for money based on his performances this season.
Across 27 Premier League games this season, Cunha has scored an incredible 11 goals and registered six assists, which is already more than double what the highest goal contributor produced last season, which was Ruben Neves with seven.
Not only do those statistics support that he knows how to find the back of the net, but they also prove that he provides a source of creativity, which is what makes him such a valuable asset.
Even after missing a chunk of action due to injury, Cunha’s performance levels haven’t dipped, as the number 12 netted a brace last time out against Nottingham Forest, with his market value being a true reflection of his influence on the side.
Matheus Cunha
£43m
Joao Gomes
£34m
Rayan Ait Nouri
£34m
Toti Gomes
£34m
Hwang Hee-chan
£26m
As you can see, Cunha is currently the highest-valued player in the Wolves squad at £43m, which means he’s held his value since joining the club permanently.
This is the exact same value as Liverpool’s Jota, who has thrived under Jurgen Klopp since leaving Wolves in a £45m deal nearly four years ago.
The Portuguese forward was a vital player for the Wanderers before his departure, scoring an impressive 44 goals and providing 19 assists in 131 appearances, and he’s now become a key part of Klopp’s team.
Therefore, for the “underrated" ace, as dubbed by football scout Jacek Kulig, to be worth the same as Jota highlights just how special Cunha really is, and given that he’s only 24 years of age, he has plenty of unfulfilled potential to get even better.
Fosun truly struck gold on the Brazil international, and they’ll look to use his successful move as inspiration for further deals, potentially this upcoming summer.
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