MATHEUS CUNHA is intent on bringing back the “glory days” to Manchester United.
But the £62.5million star knows he has a lot more to do before he can be compared to Eric Cantona.
Cantona arrived from Leeds in November 1992 and ended United’s run of 26 years without a league title to spark the era of dominance under Sir Alex Ferguson.
Cantona went on to won four Premier League titles in the Frenchman’s five years.
In an exclusive interview with SunSport, Cunha said: “Wow, what a player.
“I need to do much more things to be compared to him. When someone says something like this to me, I try to see the good part of this.
‘WOW’
Man Utd star De Ligt’s estranged wife risks Instagram ban as she poses naked
“To be someone who has a lot of passion to play for this club, to play football – and then try to represent everyone inside of the pitch.
“I feel privileged to be associated with these kind of things and with Cantona also. He made history.
“And if I can do a little percentage of what he did already, I’ll be very happy and then try to build my way to the guys to remember me also.
BEST FREE BETS AND BETTING SIGN UP OFFERS
“I’m new at the club. I’m new in terms of the look, all the other performances from the past.
“Everything for me is new. So I have only my mind in bringing back the United glory days.”
Arsenal wanted to sign Cunha in January but he signed a new contract with Wolves that included the release clause that United triggered in the close season.
Cunha has reiterated it is his “dream” to play for United and he is determined to write his name into the club’s history books.
Brazil star Cunha, who is set to line up for Ruben Amorim’s Red Devils at Tottenham on Saturday, said: “You need to look even the hard moments in the positive way.
“Of course, I’m not someone special. Of course, I have my doubts. I have the difficult moments, like everyone.
“But this kind of world, I don’t feel it is impactful, like pressure to play like for this club or maybe to be someone different of the others.
“I only want to do my way. I want to help my team. I only want to build my dream.
“To be a little part of the United history – be successful – I will always go for that.”
Wow, what a player. I need to do much more things to be compared to him. When someone says something like this to me, I try to see the good part of this.
Matheus Cunha on Eric Cantona
Sir Alex Ferguson signed Cantona after a holding a debrief with Steve Bruce and Gary Pallister in the bath after a match.
Amorim did not need to pick the brains of the current United players about Cunha while they had a post-game soak.
That’s because they had spent enough time running round trying to kick him.
Cunha sealed a move to Old Trafford from Wolves in June – after winning the man of the match award twice against United last season.
The 26-year-old scored one and assisted the other in Wolves’ 2-0 Boxing Day triumph – and was instrumental in their 1-0 victory at Old Trafford in April.
Cunha was fouled five times during his match-winning performance against United at Molineux last year.
Leny Yoro and Bruno Fernandes were both booked, with the latter sent off in the second half.
The United players must have been relieved when he signed?
Cunha says: “Yeah, exactly. It was exactly what happened!
“It was when I arrived and then I think my back was direct to Nous [Noussair Mazraoui] and to Leny.
“Because I only looked left and Leny was there.
“And they said, ‘Wow, wow, I’m so happy to have you on our side right now. It was so hard to get to the ball.’
“And then we talked about the game. I was a little bit shy, you know, in the beginning.
“But these kind of moments help us be a little bit more comfortable. And then it was very good moments to remember.”
Cunha struck up a rapport with Amorim after Wolves won at Old Trafford in April.
Amorim sidled over to Cunha by the tunnel at full-time and the pair were filmed having a conversation.
Cunha explains: “He said, ‘Hey, take care today. What do you feel about the stadium?’
“After the first game, Wolves against United [on Boxing Day], it was a good moment to feel like we have this connection.
“Wolves is very passionate. We discussed a little bit in the game and he [said] something to me.
“And then I said, ‘Hey, take care of that thing!’ or something like that.
“He’s someone that pushes us forward. This is the most important thing to be a coach in this big environment.
“The results start to come much more now.
“But personally, he’s someone that can show you the energy and then the passion to be part of his team and do the things for him, for the club and to show what you can do to be better.
“He’s someone who’s very passionate about his job. Someone who I feel is privileged to be the manager of one of the biggest clubs in the world and he shows us this.
“He shows us our responsibility to use this shirt and then show everyone what is to be part of Manchester United.
“Every single day he’s with me is a little bit more intense! But I know 100 per cent it’s because he wants to get out my best and then show everyone what I think he knows I can do.”
Although he is compared with one of United’s greatest No.7s, Cunha received the No.10 shirt – synonymous with United goal legends Denis Law and Wayne Rooney.
Cunha did not request to inherit the number, which previously belonged to Marcus Rashford.
Cunha’s name and number were printed on the United shirt during the club’s sales pitch.
He added: “I can say to you, when the club came to me and then offered, was like, ‘wow’, [it was] was such a privilege.
“Only to join the club was already for me like a dream come true.
“And then when he comes and then say to me these kind of things, I say like, ‘You’re sure? OK, I’m ready.’
“I’m ready because this is my dream. I want to do everything for this club, from this shirt. And I feel completely privileged to be part of these kind of things.
“This is the club that I want to be part of. It was a little bit before the [Europa League] final, something like this.
“I don’t really remember the date. But it was at this time that he [Amorim] came and then he showed me the presentation.
“And then everything was around also with the No.10 on the back. And I feel like it is only to show me, like to convince me of what it is.”
Cunha is partly motivated to help compatriot Casemiro add more winners’ medals to his bulging collection.
Casemiro captained Cunha in Brazil’s recent friendlies in South Korea and Japan last month and the 33-year-old has cemented his place back in the United starting XI this calendar year.
Cunha explained: “All the history that he has in the past years was something that is easier to talk about him, you know, how successful he is in football.
“Every day he shows why, how he works and how focused he is in the games, you know, in the training, outside of the pitch, how he talks to you.
“He has the winning mentality and someone with me, amazing, he will try to help me.
“I remember when I was called up in the national team, he was close to me.
“This is very interesting because now we play together and he was already Casemiro, you know, for us, national team.
“He won a lot of things with Real Madrid. And of course, to play with him now, we always talk to him and to pick this Casemiro from Real Madrid to United to maybe help him have more titles.
“And I can have my wall with my ones!”
Cunha has struck up an unlikely friendship with United’s longest-serving player, Luke Shaw, which he is even at a loss to explain.
He laughs: “I don’t know! I don’t know! I have no answer for your question!
“When I’m starting he was someone who always was close to me, and then tried to help me and try to talk about other games or maybe in the training.
“And then we start to build a relation and then I’m someone that tries to joke every day, to be someone and make the days of my teammates better with more joking and then smile.
“He’s someone that likes this and then tries to do the same with me. We start to build like a beautiful relation.
He said, ‘Hey, take care today. What do you feel about the stadium?’ After the first game, Wolves against United, it was a good moment to feel like we have this connection.
Matheus Cunha on Ruben Amorim
“We play really close, you know, the left side of the pitch. He is someone that helped me a lot.”
Premier League stats showed Cunha did more walking than any other player with Wolves last season, yet his 15 goals were invaluable as they avoided relegation.
Cunha has often been classed as a “maverick.” Has he heard of the word?
“No, only the movie!”
He is genuinely grateful to be informed of its meaning and Cunha’s work ethic for United has stood out since his debut against Arsenal.
Cunha added: “This kind of stat, if it’s impactful in the game, I’ll take care.
“If not, honestly, like I only feel like maybe if I can improve, then I can improve of course, I’ll do 100%.
“I don’t know if Ruben demands more because he knows the numbers! But he demands a lot and then I feel fine with this, you know.
“I feel fine because if someone demands from you, it’s because you can do it. And then I feel like this always in the good way.
“But of course, the only thing that I don’t want is to lose my qualities. Like how I can be impactful in the game and how I can enjoy the game.”
Cunha was a surprising starter in United’s rousing 2-1 win at Liverpool three weeks ago.
He was on the bench the previous game and Cunha then travelled to Korea and Japan with Brazil.
He only had two team training sessions before the Sunday afternoon kick-off, yet Cunha completed 90 minutes and his game-management after United regained the lead in the 84th minute was masterful.
He said: “I always try to do the same and how big was this game for everyone in the club?
“And then, well, it was far, very far when you’re playing Brazil, you know, in Asia. The last game was against Japan.
“And to come back here, I think the first thing was to feel fine, to come back in the club, to see what I can do to be a little bit more ready for the game.
“I don’t know if Ruben will use me from the start or not, but my side is be ready and do everything that I can do.
“So I think my first mentality is be ready for what the club, what my management, my team need from me.
“And I’m grateful because I feel like I did it.”
Cunha went down with cramp in added time. It was certainly worth it.
He adds: “It was so intense for me to come back and play this game.
Read more on the Scottish Sun
JOB SHOCK
All jobs lost as Scottish food firm collapses after almost 60 years
LIGHT UP THE SKY
Northern Lights to be visible over Scotland TONIGHT in stunning display
“But I can have all the cramps in the world if we get out of the game with these results – go to Anfield and win this game.
“I don’t remember the cramp. I only remember the celebration after the game.”
