Matheus Cunha became Julen Lopetegui’s first signing as Wolves head coach when the Brazilian international joined in the January of 2023.

Having spent 18 months under Diego Simeone at Atletico Madrid and has previously sampled both the Swiss Super League and Bundesliga, the quick and skillful striker signed on a loan move which automatically becomes a permanent deal until 2027, should certain clauses be triggered.

Cunha was born in Brazil and was moulded into a footballer in South America, before a passage to Europe opened up through a move to Swiss side Sion, where he settled instantly as a teenager, finishing with 10 goals and eight assists in just 32 games.

After just one season, the attacker’s next stop was Germany and RB Leipzig, but not after helping Brazil to gold at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, scoring in the final against Spain, as the South Americans defended their title.

That honour was the latest success story for the youngster’s international career. Cunha is Brazil under-23s’ record goal scorer with an impressive 21 strikes in 23 games, during which time he top scored at the 2019 Toulon Tournament, which the Brazilians also won.

The attacker was well and truly on the scene now, grabbing headlines for his exciting performances for club and country, and the move to Leipzig brought Champions League football and a nomination for the FIFA Puskas Award following an incredible solo goal against Bayer Leverkusen.

Once on Berlin soil with Hertha, Cunha hit the back of the next 13 times, and after 18 months had attracted the interest of Simeone, who took him to Madrid, which led to the step up to the Brazilian senior team and a role in his country’s success qualification period for Qatar.