NafisaWill Wolverhampton Wanderers need a significant summer overhaul?
Wolves were in the relegation places when Vítor Pereira was brought in last December, but he managed to secure ten victories from his 22 Premier League matches at the helm, including guiding the side to their first six-game winning run in the top flight since October 1970.
This enabled the Old Gold to finish 16th, 17 points clear of relegation danger, but with several of their standout players attracting interest from other teams, it’s shaping up to be a hectic summer at Molineux.
And it has already begun with Matheus Cunha’s exit.
Why Matheus Cunha attracted attention:
On Sunday afternoon, it was officially confirmed that Cunha had signed for Manchester United, the Red Devils activating his reported £62.5m release clause.
This is clearly a setback for Wolves because, as Matt Furniss of Opta’s The Analyst highlights, he has been Wolves’ ‘most influential player’ over the past two campaigns, calling Cunha a ‘revelation’ and commending his consistent knack for outperforming his xG figures.
Meanwhile, Steve Madeley of The Athletic notes that the Brazilian was unquestionably ‘Wolves’ player of the season’, adding that rarely is an entire season tied ‘so intrinsically to one player’, with Cunha always at the centre, ‘for better and worse’.
Since making his move from Atlético Madrid permanent for £44m two years ago, Cunha has netted 31 goals in 72 appearances for the club, statistics that will be tough for anyone to match.
But is there a current member of the Wolves squad ready to step up and become the leading man?
Wolves’ underrated performer set to rise after Cunha’s exit:
When Wolves brought in Jørgen Strand Larsen last summer from Celta Vigo, initially on loan with a £23m obligation to buy, the signing went largely under the radar.
However, the Norwegian forward certainly exceeded expectations, finding the net 14 times in the Premier League—more than all but nine players in the division.
Premier League legend Alan Shearer applauded Strand Larsen’s display during a crucial 2-1 win at Ipswich in April, saying “his hold-up play was excellent… his touch and his control were superb”, adding “I actually think they’ve looked a better team” without Cunha during his four-game suspension.
Meanwhile, boss Pereira described his performances as “fantastic”, adding “he helped the team” significantly.
Still, the main question lingers: does Strand Larsen possess the ability to become Wolves’ primary goal threat in Cunha’s absence?
Well, let’s examine the pair to try to answer that.
Strand Larsen vs Cunha 2024/25 PL comparison
| Statistics | Larsen | Cunha |
|---|---|---|
| Appearances | 35 | 33 |
| Minutes | 2,603 | 2,603 |
| Goals | 14 | 15 |
| Assists | 4 | 6 |
| Shots | 54 | 110 |
| Shots on target % | 61.1% | 40% |
| Goals – xG | +3.7 | +6.4 |
| Big chances missed | 13 | 2 |
| Big chances created | 6 | 13 |
| Shot-creating actions | 42 | 132 |
| Goal-creating actions | 6 | 16 |
| Aerial duels won | 67 | 13 |
| Touches per 90 | 26 | 54 |
| % of touches in opp. box | 15% | 8% |
Stats via Transfermarkt, FBref, Sofascore & Squawka
As the table shows, Cunha’s numbers are generally more impressive, which is to be expected considering he just earned a major transfer to Manchester United.
However, what the stats also make clear is that they are very different styles of centre-forward.
Ryan Benson of Opta’s The Analyst referred to Strand Larsen as a ‘fox in the box’, noting how he is a traditional target man whose ‘presence alone keeps centre-backs occupied’, a claim supported by the figures, with 15% of his touches coming inside the opposition box—almost twice Cunha’s percentage.
While the Brazilian ranked second in the league this term for non-penalty goals above xG, his teammate wasn’t far off, sitting seventh in that same category.
Strand Larsen also placed sixth among strikers for aerial duels won, though his 13 big chances missed shows there’s room for refinement.
Still just 25, the Norwegian forward has all the tools to thrive in this league, and appears well-placed to fill the substantial gap left by Cunha’s departure.
Nafisa
