Man Utd can repeat Bruno Fernandes transfer with ready-made star who wants to join

Manchester United finished eighth in the Premier League last season, and they're not breaching 13th by the end of the current campaign. The Red Devils are regressing, so it's time to move away from a potential-focused transfer strategy and start signing players who can make an instant impact.

Recruitment has arguably been the biggest culprit of the club's 12-year-long decline. You wouldn't need more than two hands to count the successful buys during that period. The number of arrivals who made it immediately clear that they were going to be just fine at Old Trafford is even smaller. Not many in United's illustrious history have elevated the team as quickly as Bruno Fernandes.

The Portuguese maestro landed in a £47million move in January 2020, having directly contributed to 89 goals in two-and-a-half seasons at Sporting.

Prolific exploits overseas don't always translate into Premier League football, but it was no problem for Fernandes.

After notching 12 goals and eight assists in 22 appearances in his first half-season, he plundered 28 goals and 18 assists throughout his maiden full campaign.

Fast-track to today, Fernandes sits on 19 goals and 16 assists and has reached double figures in both metrics in all five of his full seasons in Manchester.

He has consistently represented a diamond in [include unflattering metaphor here], producing sensational numbers in an underperforming team.

If he doesn't decide to leave and pursue the major honours his career deserves, United must add similar quality around him.

And that's what the M16 giants reportedly plan to do by targeting Wolves forward Matheus Cunha, who is said to be in advanced talks to join this summer.

According to Fabrizio Romano, the Brazilian wants to join United, and negotiations are underway over the final details of his contract.

Cunha is set to be in many a Premier League Team of the Season after scoring 15 goals in 30 games, averaging a strike every two appearances for a side that at one point looked doomed for the drop.

United will hope to instantly inject an upgraded attacking bite into Ruben Amorim's faltering firepower with Cunha, who is precisely the signing fans have clamoured for.

The 25-year-old has a proven track record in the Premier League as well as in Europe's other top leagues, also playing for RB Leipzig, Hertha Berlin and Atletico Madrid.

An attack that features Fernandes and Cunha is worthy of a team challenging for Premier League titles rather than sitting on the brink of a relegation battle.

Amorim needs to address other areas of his 3-4-3 system if it's going to work, including a more established goalscorer and added energy in midfield.

But Cunha's emergence as his priority transfer target should offer optimism that Sir Jim Ratcliffe means it when he says he's in a rush for success.

United have enough young talent in the first team and academy to spark excitement and encouragement for the years to come.

It's time to take up a "if you can't beat them, sign them" mantra and remind rivals that back-to-back lowly finishes won't become the norm.