Man United still haven't solved £62.5m conundrum raised by Ruben Amorim sacking

CommentsSportopinionTyrone Marshall Senior Manchester Football Writer06:00, 11 Mar 2026Manchester United will be in the market for a left-winger this summer, while Patrick Dorgu's impressive displays at the start of the Michael Carrick era have made him a contender for that role as well. But what about Matheus Cunha, the man who has replaced Dorgu on the left of United's attack for the last five games?

It has been a strange few weeks for the Brazilian, who excelled off the bench in Carrick's first couple of games in charge against Manchester City and Arsenal, but has more recently been part of an attack that has started to look a little disjointed.

Cunha has actually completed the last three games and he got an assist against Crystal Palace for winning the match-turning penalty, but there have been questions about his role. Carrick felt he held his width better against Newcastle, but it has been noticeable how often he plays inside.

A theme of recent performance has been the interchange of positions within the attack, and it's clear Cunha wants to be playing inside. Carrick spoke to him during the first half against Palace about when to hold his width and when to play more centrally.

There is no doubting Cunha's quality since his £62.5million move from Wolves in the summer and a return of six goals and three assists from 26 Premier League games is acceptable, but it's also the case that his role was more clearly defined under Ruben Amorim.

Although United were keen to sign versatile players under the Portuguese head coach, rather than specialists for his 3-4-2-1 system, Cunha was certainly a natural fit for it as one of two No. 10s. He had spent the season playing the same role at Molineux and thrives as an attacker given a little tactical freedom to get on the ball and make things happen.

But since Amorim was sacked and replaced by Carrick, United have switched to a 4-2-3-1 and Cunha's favourite role as a No. 10 is taken by Bruno Fernandes, who moved from a deep-lying midfielder under Amorim to someone again at the heart of United's attack.

That left Cunha initially as something of an impact sub and, now, a player forced into a role on the left, but it's hard to see his long-term future there. United's indications were clear when they tried to sign Antoine Semenyo from Bournemouth in the January transfer window to play on the left, and they will target another winger this summer, with RB Leipzig teenager Yan Diomande on the shortlist.

Cunha could be a high-quality back-up for Fernandes, can play the false nine role filled by Bryan Mbeumo and could also offer cover on the right behind Amad and Mbeumo. But this summer, he might not be the first choice for any of those positions.

That doesn't have to be an issue. If United return to the Champions League, there will be enough games to go around, and whoever the head coach is will want a deep squad. Cunha showed in January against City and Arsenal that he can come off the bench and impact games and that is an excellent trait to have.

It also shows what a unique player he is. According to Transfermarkt, he has made more than 20 career appearances as a right-winger, a left-winger, an attacking midfielder and a centre-forward. Versatile attackers are valuable in the modern game.

But back in a more conventional system, it does feel like United are still working out how to get the best out of Cunha. He is one of the most technically adept and skilful players in the squad, but perhaps lacks that burst of acceleration to be a long-term answer on the left, with the attack often looking unbalanced when he plays there.

It might well be that his versatility becomes his role next season. That he covers for injuries, suspension and fatigue and is an option off the bench in other games across all attacking positions. Plenty of players have made a success of that role at Old Trafford before the Brazilian.

It would also be less of a talking point in a season encompassing closer to 60 games than the 40 United will play this season. The lack of matches and the gaps between fixtures have made dissecting Carrick's selections a natural hobby recently, when there wouldn't be as much spotlight if there were two games a week and rotation built into that.

For now, Cunha's status as the first pick on the left seems secure, with Dorgu still recovering from a hamstring injury. He has shown he can affect games from there, even if he might not be the perfect solution in an attack often playing too narrow.