Arsenal: Romano reveals reason Gunners didn’t sign PL forward with ‘new release clause’ in January
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has revealed why Premier League giants Arsenal opted against a move for Wolves standout Matheus Cunha in January.
Cunha has been one of the best forwards in the Premier League this season as he is carrying Wolves in their pursuit to avoid relegation to the Championship.
The versatile forward has eleven goals and four assists in his 23 Premier League appearances this season and attracted interest from rival clubs in January.
Arsenal were among the clubs linked with Cunha as they were crying out for a new forward to ease their issues in front of goal.
The Gunners failed with a bid for Aston Villa star Ollie Watkins and did not land an alternative, so Mikel Arteta has limited options until the summer. Without injured Gabriel Jesus, ex-Chelsea attacker Kai Havertz is the head coach’s only fit centre-forward option.
As for Cunha, he recently penned a new contract but he is still likely to leave Wolves during this summer’s transfer window. This is because h has a ‘new release clause’, as revealed by The Daily Mail.
‘The contract did include a release clause that becomes active at the end of the season. And Mail Sport can reveal the value of the buy-out is believed to be set at £62million.
‘We can also disclose that there are no restrictions on which clubs can activate the clause when it becomes valid.
‘Such stipulations are often only applicable for certain clubs; for instance some players have release clauses that can only be activated by teams in the Champions League. However that is not the case with Cunha’s clause, which will interest a host of the player’s suitors.
‘Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham, Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest are among the clubs to have monitored the former Atletico Madrid star.’
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RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko and Sporting Lisbon’s Viktor Gyokeres are also linked with Arsenal and Romano claims their pursuit of a “different kind of player” is why they didn’t land Cunha.
“Matheus Cunha the Brazilian star of Wolves is doing very well this season,” Romano said.
“He is on the list of several clubs, we know that Arsenal have had Matheus Cunha on their list for a long time, appreciated internally, a player that they really like.
“ut they wanted to save a big amount of money for a different kind of player, a proper number nine in the summer.
“Arsenal’s interest was there, but it was never something they were prepared to do in the January transfer window.”
