Matheus Cunha could return to Europe with Nottingham Forest if they qualify for the UEFA Champions League, reports claim.
The Tricky Trees have had an astonishing 2024/25 Premier League season, scoring 49 goals to win 16 (with six losses and seven draws) of the 29 matches they have played so far to earn 54 points and grab on to third place in the league. This puts them ahead of heavyweights like Chelsea, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur, who are the Premier League’s regulars in the Champions League alongside Liverpool and Arsenal.
The likelihood of their failure to qualify for the competition (which they remain one of only six English teams to have won the competition) for the first time since the 1980/81 season is very low as they are only four points behind Arsenal in second place and five points ahead of Chelsea in fourth place.
Forest’s European Ambitions and Transfer Plans
Their fans are already dreaming of a return to Europe’s premiere competition and the club is already preparing for it. This is why they have begun to identify potential new players to strengthen their squad ahead of the new season, where they will most likely be participating in the Champions League.
Cunha is not a name they are unfamiliar with, as they were previously linked to the player in January. However, a £62 million release clause stood in the way of their acquiring him to compete with Chris Wood and Taiwo Awoniyi. Luckily for the Tricky Trees, they have not lost any motion and continue to fight for their place among Europe’s top clubs for the 2024/25 season.
Reports now claim that the release clause will not matter anymore if their qualification for the Champions League is confirmed. They will face competition for the Brazilian forward, however, as Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea are also believed to be interested in securing the services of the former RB Leipzig and Atlético de Madrid man.
Competition and Alternatives in the Striker Market
The Premier League resumes soon as the March international break is already wrapping up. The next few games will be pivotal to their decision to break the bank for Cunha, who is certain to leave Wolverhampton Wanderers this summer, per reports.
Meanwhile, the media is insinuating that the choice of Cunha is because of Swedish striker Viktor Gyokeres’ choice to ignore the chance to play Champions League football with Nottingham Forest.
Gyokeres’ exploits have earned him a ton of suitors of which Nottingham Forest is one. However, the Sporting CP striker wants a club that can compete for major honours and not just a club in the Champions League or a globally bigger league.
