Manchester United have offered a salary to Wolves striker Matheus Cunha that is £80k a week more than rivals Newcastle, according to the Daily Mail reporter Craig Hope.

The journalist, who writes about the Magpies for the English tabloid, claims the Red Devils are very much in pole position to sign the Brazilian:

“The latest information is that Manchester United is offering him 60, 70, 80 grand more than what could probably be on the table at Newcastle.”

“And if Manchester United then go get Champions League – it looks like they’re going to win the Europa League final against Spurs – that would then make that deal probably almost impossible to do from Newcastle’s perspective.”

The wage offer shows why Man United are confident that the move will happen

Cunha does have a £62.5m release clause in his contract which any team can trigger. In addition to Newcastle, Arsenal have also been credited with an interest in the player, who has scored 17 goals in all competitions this season.

However, reports over the past couple of weeks have made it clear that Ruben Amorim’s side are favourites to snap up the 25-year-old this summer. It seems their wage proposal has gone some way towards convincing the player.

Champions League football could still influence Cunha’s decision

Of course, with Newcastle expected to seal qualification for Europe’s premier competition via the league, a transfer to St James’ Park may prove tempting.

That is why Man United’s progress in the Europa League is so important. If they secure a Champions League place by winning the tournament, it could help attract more signings like Cunha to the club.

They are likely to reach the final after beating Athletic Bilbao 3-0 in the first leg. See our Man United predicted XI for the return fixture at Old Trafford on Facebook here