Man Utd's £63m first summer deal rapidly gathers pace as Everton close in on £9m transfer

We begin Friday’s Premier League transfer rumour roundup with claims Manchester United have made contact with the representatives of Wolves attacker Matheus Cunha. According to a report from Caught Offside, the Red Devils have held initial talks with the Brazilian’s agents ahead of a possible summer swoop.

Arsenal are also said to be keen on the forward, who could be valued as highly as £63.3 million by his current employers. Whether either club is willing to pay that much for the 25-year-old remains to be seen - although his record of 22 goals involvements across 36 appearances in all competitions last season may go some way towards convincing them of his worth.

The 3AM Verdict: Cunha is a wonderful player, but whether he is truly worth that much money is difficult to say. Ultimately, this is an attempt from Wolves to fend off any potential interest in their star man, but if United have gone as far as to contact his agent already, then it isn’t out of the question that they could table a formal bid at some stage.

Villa close in on Maatsen

Elsewhere, GiveMeSport report that Aston Villa are closing in on a deal to sign Dutch full-back Ian Maatsen from Chelsea. According to the online outlet, the Villans are ‘on the verge’ of beating Borussia Dortmund to the 22-year-old’s signature after his head was turned by the prospect of playing Champions League football next season. Maatsen spent the second half of the 2023/24 campaign on loan in Dortmund, and competed in a Champions League final earlier this month.

In a further report on the matter, Sky Sports suggest that a fee between £35 million and £40 million has already been agreed, with that initial figure rising with future add-ons. Maatsen is expected to sign a six-year deal at Villa Park, initial talks over personal terms described as ‘positive’.

The 3AM Verdict: This would be a superb piece of business for Villa. Maatsen is a huge talent, and one who has proven that he has what it takes to make the step up to Champions League football already. To that end, a fee of £40 million may seem steep, but should also guarantee a real measure of quality in a position that the Villans have been eager to strengthen.

Everton agree Iroegbunam deal

And finally, Fabrizio Romano reports that Everton have completed a deal to sign promising midfielder Tim Iroegbunam from Aston Villa. According to the renowned Italian journalist, the transfer will cost the Toffees around around £9 million, with a medical scheduled imminently.

Iroegbunam joined Villa from West Brom’s academy setup in 2021, and has gone on to make 19 senior appearances for the club, including nine in the Premier League last term. The England youth international also spent a loan stint with QPR in the Championship a couple of years ago.

The 3AM Verdict: This could be a decent swoop for Everton. Iroegbunam is an exciting young talent who is unlikely to get much of a look-in at Villa next season, and as such, it makes sense for them to cash in on him now. As for the Toffees, they are bringing in a technically sound central midfielder with massive potential. Everybody wins.