Julen Lopetegui: Wolves need Matheus Cunha to deliver now

The Brazilian has had bright moments since his January arrival, in a move that will become Wolves’ £43million record transfer, but he has failed to score in his nine appearances so far.

At 23 years old, Wolves hope Cunha will be a long-term addition but Lopetegui has urged him to start delivering immediately amid their relegation battle.

The boss said: “We need him now. We don’t think in the future, we don’t have space.”

When asked if Cunha is capable of being a goalscorer, or just a creator, Lopetegui added: “I think he can do both things. He has the skills to do both.

“He can score and he can create space for his team-mates.

“But it’s not about Cunha scoring goals, the responsibility is for all the players. He has the quality to create space for his team-mates and score goals.

“We demand different things. He is trying to get used to our way of playing and he is working hard like Raul (Jimenez), Diego (Costa) and the rest of the players.

“Of course I am sure he is going to adapt. We want that as soon as possible, because it’s good for him and us, but in the end he is going to be a good player for us.”

The transfer fee has been a big talking point among supporters, with some suggesting Cunha would be better suited to playing alongside a number nine, rather than as a solo striker.

But Lopetegui refused to discuss that business.

He said: “I am the coach, I don’t talk about the price.”

When asked if Cunha feels the pressure of that fee, Lopetegui added: “This is football. The elite of football has these things. You have to overcome these situations.

“You have to be strong in your mind and show your quality on the pitch. The price is for the economist and the clubs, but it’s not football.”