Manchester United-bound Matheus Cunha demanded to be given the club’s iconic number 10 jersey as part of his contract negotiations.

Previous incumbents of the shirt include Wayne Rooney, Mark Hughes and Ruud van Nistelrooy.

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It has been worn by Marcus Rashford since Zlatan Ibrahimović left Old Trafford in 2018.

But with Rashford facing a bleak future at United following his loan stint at Aston Villa, Cunha is expected to be granted his wish.

Sources close to the Brazilian say he sees himself as a protagonist and will relish the pressure of being United’s number 10.

As reported over the weekend, United have agreed an initial five-year deal with Wolves star Cunha and will pay his £62.5m release clause in three instalments.

Hammers’ De Bruyne approach

West Ham made an ambitious play to sign outgoing Manchester City ace Kevin De Bruyne, talkSPORT understands.

The Hammers were among the clubs who made contact with De Bruyne to see if they could tempt him to stay in the Premier League.

Aston Villa are also believed to have contemplated a move for the decorated 33-year-old.

However, after not being offered a new deal to extend his trophy-laden ten-year stay at the Etihad, the Belgian magician decided he did not want to join another English club.

Instead, De Bruyne is set to sign for newly-crowned Italian champions Napoli in a bid to prove he can still cut it at the highest level.

De Bruyne, one of the greatest Premier League players of all-time, also rejected offers from the MLS and Saudi Arabia.

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Ramsey could leave Villa

Aston Villa may be forced to cash in on Jacob Ramsey as they count the cost of missing out on a Champions League place.

Villa were denied a top-five place on goal difference after Morgan Rogers’s strike in Sunday’s 2-0 defeat at Manchester United was wrongly ruled out.

It means that for the second summer in a row the Villans face having to sell players to stay on the right side of Premier League spending rules.

As an academy product, they can record a 100 per cent profit on the £50m rated Ramsey, who has admirers at Tottenham, Arsenal and Newcastle – who pipped Villa to fifth place.

It is expected that goalkeeper Emi Martinez, sent off at Old Trafford is sold, with Espanyol’s Joan Garcia being eyed as a potential replacement.

Chelsea have a strong interest in Morgan Rogers but talkSPORT has been told Villa are determined to keep him.

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Hamer set to move on

Gustavo Hamer is expected to leave Sheffield United after their play-off final heartbreak.

Leeds and Everton are both interested in signing Championship Player of the Year Hamer, who turns 28 next month.

The Brazilian-born playmaker scored ten goals and claimed eight assists to fire the Blades to the brink of promotion to the Premier League.

Hamer was visibly upset after Sunderland’s dramatic comeback win at Wembley on Saturday denied his team a place in the top-flight.

talkSPORT understands he is one of the players Blades chiefs are resigned to losing.

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