The Portuguese international becomes our fourth signing of the summer, following Croatian duo Mateo Kovacic and Josko Gvardiol, as well as Belgian winger Jeremy Doku, through the door.
Nunes’ professional career began in the summer of 2018 when he signed for Primeira Liga side Estoril.
However, after impressing against Sporting in a Taca da Liga fixture, he would secure a move to the club in January 2019, making his senior debut for the Lisbon side in June of the following year.
A breakthrough campaign for the 25-year-old would follow, with him becoming a regular in their march to a league a cup double in 2020/21, before a spot in the Primeira Liga Team of the Season for 2021/22.
Wolves would pay a club record fee to secure Nunes’ services ahead of the following campaign, with the midfielder a regular at Molineux during his solitary full season in the West Midlands, even winning the Premier League Goal of the Month for April 2023 with a stunning strike against Chelsea.
Our newest recruit said of the move: “I’m so happy to be joining Manchester City, the Champions of Europe and a club I’ve admired for a long time.
“The opportunity to work under Pep Guardiola, one of the greatest managers ever, and alongside some of the best players in the world was something I couldn’t turn down.
“I’ve learned so much during my season at Wolves and I’m excited to continue improving in the Premier League, a division which brings the best out of me.
“I’m really excited to get going, meet the fans and hopefully be a part of plenty more success at City.”
Director of Football Txiki Begiristain added: “Matheus is a fine player. We are really happy he is here, and we know he will help us this season and beyond.
“He possesses real quality and will bring a fresh dynamic to this team. He is a player who can play passes that open defences, he can beat players and he is technically excellent.
“Everyone knows Pep improves players – we have seen it so often – and we cannot wait to see how Matheus develops under his management.”
Combative and Creative
A creative, positive midfielder who also possesses a fierce tenacity and competitive edge, it’s no surprise that Matheus Nunes adapted so seamlessly to the cut and thrust of the Premier League.
He was a regular at Wolves during his solitary full season at Molineux, injecting an important burst of energy into the midfield as they recovered from a slow start to secure a comfortable mid-table finish.
A look at his best moments in the West Midlands demonstrated a player who was confident in picking up play in tight areas, before attacking space between the lines with either a quick explosion of pace or with an incisive pass.
It’s that all-action style which seems perfectly suited to Guardiola’s methods, and something the boss had already picked up on months before Nunes even made his Premier League debut.
Following City’s 5-0 Champions League triumph over Sporting in March 2022 the boss singled out our newest recruit for particular praise, dubbing him ‘one of the best players in the world today’.
High praise indeed, and the result of a standout two campaigns as a regular in the Portuguese capital.
Nunes initially joined Sporting from fellow Lisbon side Estoril in January 2019 and, after impressing for the club’s Under-23s, would earn his first senior appearance in June 2020.
He was a key figure for the side from then on, missing just three matches in all competitions as Ruben Amorim’s side were crowned league champions for the first time in 19 years, while also claiming the domestic cup.
That rapid progress continued for the midfielder, who earned a spot in the Primeira Liga Team of the Season the following year while also earning a first senior call-up for Portugal in October 2021.
After over a century of senior appearances for Sporting, he provided the ultimate parting gift with a vicious long-range drive against Rio Ave in his final appearance for the club.
And he’s gone on to show that eye for the spectacular certainly wasn’t simply a flash in the pan, with his solitary goal for Wolves seeing the Portuguese international launch an unstoppable volley into the top corner to secure a 1-0 win over Chelsea.
It rightly earned the Premier League Goal of the Month award for April and went a long way to easing any lingering relegation worries that Julen Lopetegui’s side might have harboured towards the end of the campaign.
He’ll be hoping to make a similarly significant impression at the Etihad Stadium in the years to come, as Pep Guardiola adds another Portuguese gem to the ranks in pursuit of further domestic and European glory.
Season by Season Stats
2018/19: Estoril
Played: 8
2019/20: Sporting
Played: 10
2020/21: Sporting
Played: 39
Goals: 3
Assists: 3
Honours: Primeira Liga, Taca da Liga
2021/22: Sporting
Played: 50
Goals: 4
Assists: 5
Honours: Supertaca, Primeira Liga Team of the Year
2022/23: Sporting
Played: 2
Goals: 1
Assists: 1
2022/23: Wolves
Played: 39
Goals: 1
Assists: 1
2023/24: Wolves
Played: 2
