INEOS could see £50m bid accepted to sign Man Utd their next Matheus Cunha

Whether or not Michael Carrick is in charge come the summer, Manchester United will undoubtedly be looking at Sir Alex Ferguson’s blueprints for a successful team.

While United have not reached dizzy heights this term, their transfer strategy last summer made a lot more sense. Benjamin Sesko signed from the Bundesliga but INEOS looked in the direction of the Premier League, acquiring two of the division’s biggest stars in the form of Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo.

While Sesko has shown glimpses of what he can do, Cunha and Mbeumo look like two of their best signings in years. The latter, in particular, has been on fire, scoring ten goals in 22 games this term.

If Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Co have their way, then a similar strategy looks likely in a few months.

How Man Utd plan to strengthen next summer

One of the biggest areas of priority for Man United will be improving the midfield. Casemiro is exiting Old Trafford and it’s unlikely Manuel Ugarte will stick around much longer either.

That explains links to high-profile names such as Crystal Palace star Adam Wharton and Nottingham Forest’s World Cup-bound midfielder, Elliot Anderson. That said, they won’t get both. United don’t have an endless pit of money.

Elsewhere, they will likely look at bolstering the forward line again, but they could very much kill two birds with one stone with the addition of a player from Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Indeed, according to reports from Spain, United are in a two-way fight to land talented Wolves teenager Mateus Mane.

Mane signed for the Old Gold as a 16-year-old but has really burst onto the scene in 2025/26, landing admiration from some of England’s biggest clubs.

Liverpool and United are both said to be interested, although at this moment in time the Anfield outfit look like the frontrunners, considering they have held talks.

Yet, the Red Devils are admirers and have been told that it would likely take a £50m bid to sign the 18-year-old this summer.

Man Utd’s most expensive signings of all time

A number of their additions haven’t lived up to expectations.

Their hopes of sealing a deal would no doubt be boosted if the Midlands side suffers relegation from the top-flight.

Why Mane would be a good signing for Man Utd

When Sir Alex was in charge of this great football club, his modus operandi was very much to sign the best talent in the Premier League.

Wayne Rooney, while clearly a level above Mane at the same age, is perhaps the most pertinent example in this case, as United go in search of signing one of the best teenagers in English football.

Mane was unknown to many at the beginning of the season but he has been a bright light in a generally abysmal campaign for Wolves so far.

He has won the club’s Player of the Month award two months in a row now, scoring twice and registering two assists in his 15 Premier League matches.

So, what could he offer? Well, in the words of former Wolves boss Vitor Pereira, he’s a “special” talent. Not many make as much of an impact on England’s top-flight at his age, and he really does look exciting.

Like Cunha, not only would he be coming from Wolves, but he’d be bringing the versatility to play right across the front line, much like Manchester United’s Brazilian sensation.

Cunha has largely been deployed off the left since arriving at Old Trafford but he can play as a striker or behind the no.9. Mane is cut from a similar cloth.

During his breakout campaign at Molineux, the youngster has played in four different positions. He’s operated as a central midfielder, where his ridiculous work rate has shone through, as an attacking midfielder, as a striker and out on the wing.

Mane by position in 2025/26
Position	Games	Goals & assists
Attacking midfield	12	5
Centre forward	5	2
Central midfield	5	3
Right wing	2	2
Left wing	1	0
Stats for Wolves & Wolves U21s

Similarly to Cunha, he’s also fleet-footed and capable of dancing around opponents. So far this season, he has attempted 3.4 dribbles per match, of which 1.1 are successful.

To put those numbers into context, no player in the Wolves or United squads has attempted more. Amad attempts 3.2 per game while Cunha attempts 2.8.

In fact, he ranks 17th in the entire division for that metric, only beaten to the top by some of the league’s top players. Manchester City’s Jeremy Doku sits in first place, while the likes of Eberechi Eze, Bukayo Saka, Jarrod Bowen, Morgan Rogers and Antoine Semenyo all feature within the top ten.

So, like Cunha, he’s a maverick sort of player. He’s unpredictable, has the ability carry possession forward and impact play from multiple areas on the pitch.

Signing a teenager for £50m may not feel the best use of funds this summer, but there can be no denying Mane’s obvious talent and quality.