Manchester United are reportedly on the verge of sealing a deal for Atletico Madrid forward Matheus Cunha.
The Red Devils are yet to welcome a new striker to the club in the summer transfer window amid persistent speculation surrounding the future of Cristiano Ronaldo.
With Anthony Martial currently nursing a hamstring injury, Ronaldo led the line against Brentford at the weekend but was powerless to prevent his side from slumping to a humiliating 4-0 defeat.
Manager Erik ten Hag has supposedly performed a U-turn on his transfer stance and is now willing to let Ronaldo leave the club, which would intensify Man United's search for attacking reinforcements.
The Red Devils' only Premier League goal so far this season was an own goal from Brighton & Hove Albion's Alexis Mac Allister, but the 20-time English champions could now be about to boost their forward options.
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According to talkSPORT, Man United are now on the verge of bringing Atletico striker Cunha to the club for a fee of £42m, just one year after the 23-year-old signed for the 2020-21 La Liga champions.
The report claims that United made a breakthrough in negotiations with Diego Simeone's side on Monday evening and will aim to complete the signing of the Brazil international imminently.
Cunha briefly represented RB Leipzig between 2018 and 2020 before moving on to Hertha Berlin, where a tally of seven goals and five assists in 27 Bundesliga games in 2020-21 earned him a £23.4m move to Atletico.
The South American's debut season at the Wanda Metropolitano saw him contribute six goals and six assists in 29 La Liga appearances, as well as a further strike in the Copa del Rey.
Cunha started a mere eight games in the top flight, though, with Antoine Griezmann, Luis Suarez, Angel Correa and Joao Felix also competing for places in the Rojiblancos attack last season.
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Alvaro Morata - another reported target of Man United's - has also returned to the Spanish capital and was given the nod alongside Felix in Atletico's opening 3-0 La Liga win over Getafe on Monday, scoring twice in the process.
Cunha only played seven minutes off the bench for Simeone's victorious side in that game, which could end up being his last for Atletico, who have him under contract until the summer of 2026.
The signing of Cunha could put an end to United's search for big-name attacking reinforcements, as Atletico are unlikely to sanction the exits of both Cunha and Morata in the same window.
Paris Saint-Germain's Mauro Icardi and Barcelona's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang continue to be linked with switches to Old Trafford, but Ten Hag supposedly has reservations over the signings of both strikers.
Man United are also reported to have been offered the chance to sign Espanyol attacker Raul de Tomas as they endeavour to claim their first points of the 2022-23 Premier League season at home to Liverpool on Monday night.
Ben Knapton
