Cunha inspired by Rooney and United's 2008 team

The Brazil international has joined the Reds on a five-year deal from Wolverhampton Wanderers, where he enjoyed a stellar record in the Premier League.

He arrives at United declaring it a “dream come true,” after a lifetime looking towards the club as representing the pinnacle of the game.

And it’s the 2008 side who played a significant role in that, with Sir Alex Ferguson’s charges lifting the Premier League and Champions League in that glorious season, as well as a total of five English titles across a seven-year period, in which we reached three European finals.

Aided by his cousin’s support for United, Matheus says he took inspiration from the full team, but did mention one player in particular.

“I remember the whole squad at the time that I started to watch,” he began, in his signing interview at Old Trafford, speaking to ex-Red Danny Webber.

“I like, in the front, [Wayne] Rooney. Wow! [He’s] someone I think I have a lot of particulars in my game, as I always give everything.

“He was then the no.10, I remember it on his shirt, and everyone loved the skills of the player in this shirt, but he always brought more. He goes to the grass to take the ball; this kind of energy inside of him was a big example.”

While there are significant differences between Rooney and Cunha's birthplace — Rooney on Merseyside, Matheus in the Brazilian beach city of Joao Pessoa — and the age at which they joined United, 18 versus 26, fans may appreciate the comparison.

Rooney arrived at United with a burgeoning reputation for grabbing Premier League games by the scruff of the neck. Cunha has shown a similar ability, with his combination of tenacity and skill helping him towards 15 league goals last season.

“Of course, I can mention a lot of the players,” Matheus continued.

“[Cristiano] Ronaldo, everyone knows, it is easy to talk about him. But Ryan Giggs [as well]. Everyone! I can imagine the team, you know, it started with [Edwin] Van der Sar in the goal, Rio Ferdinand, with [Nemanja] Vidic, the defenders. Paul Scholes, wow, [Michael] Carrick. The team for me was a big impact for my teenage years.”

United supporters of a similar age to Cunha will all agree, no doubt. It was a special team who achieved everything, and Reds will hope that Matheus can be a part of a side striving to emulate those successes.

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