Both managers and the player’s representatives issued separate, unequivocal denials on Sunday of reports linking Matheus Cunha to Arsenal, after a story originating from an anonymous social media account circulated widely before collapsing under scrutiny from journalists who found no corroboration.
“Absolute nonsense,” Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim said when asked at his pre-match news conference at Old Trafford. “He is not for sale. He is not going anywhere. He is committed to this club.” Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, speaking at a separate briefing, was equally dismissive. “I have no idea where this comes from. We do not comment on fabricated stories.”
Representatives for Cunha issued a written statement through agent Jorge Mendes’s agency describing the claims as “completely fabricated” and confirming that neither the player nor his representatives had been contacted by Arsenal or any intermediary in connection with a transfer.
The original report was traced to an account created fewer than six weeks prior to publication, with fewer than 400 followers and no identifiable prior engagement with football journalism. The account’s single post was written without attribution or sourcing and was shared thousands of times before senior correspondents covering both clubs publicly stated they had found nothing to support it.
Two Manchester United board members told club staff directly on Friday that no approach had been received from Arsenal and that the club had not entered any discussions regarding Cunha’s departure. United team officials described internal morale as unaffected by the reports.
Cunha played 87 minutes in United’s 2-0 Premier League victory on the same weekend the reports circulated, scoring with a driven finish in the 54th minute and providing the assist for United’s second goal. Speaking to a pitch-side reporter after the final whistle, he addressed the speculation directly. “I am very happy here. I am focused on the team. Nothing else is in my head.”
The episode drew comment from senior football journalists about the speed at which unverified claims travel through online ecosystems before clubs or correspondents can establish the facts. Several reporters noted that the original post had accumulated several hundred thousand impressions before the first on-record denial was issued, meaning a significant proportion of the audience that saw the initial claim did not encounter the refutation.
The pattern has become familiar enough that a number of Premier League clubs have begun issuing pre-emptive statements when they become aware of fabricated transfer stories gaining traction, rather than waiting for journalists to approach them for comment. Both United and Arsenal declined to discuss whether they would adopt such an approach going forward.