Wolves have been dealt a blow in their quest to sign Atletico Madrid attacker Matheus Cunha, with journalist Simon Phillips claiming he could join Everton instead.

The Lowdown: Wolves eyeing up move Cunha move

Julen Lopetegui is edging towards his first Premier League game in charge of Wanderers, having replaced Bruno Lage in the Molineux hot seat.

While the 2022 World Cup has been going on, the Spaniard will no doubt have been eyeing up possible new players and Cunha is someone who continues to be linked with a move to become the boss' first new signing.

The 23-year-old has only started two matches in La Liga for Atletico this season and they are likely to let him leave during the January transfer window.

The Latest: Everton ahead in the race

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Phillips admitted that Everton would likely win a race to sign Cunha, though:

"Oh, for sure. Everton have got a good history as a club anyway, and I think what’s more important is Frank Lampard’s pulling power.

"If a player is picking between Everton and Wolves, I think Lampard is going to be the standout decision-maker for any player really. We saw it at Chelsea, he single-handedly got players to sign for the club like Thiago Silva and Kai Havertz just with his influence.

"So, I think he can use that again at Everton, especially for a player like Cunha. I think they’ve got a better chance of signing him than Wolves."

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The Verdict: Not done and dusted

While this is a blow for Wolves, considering Cunha has been labelled a 'brilliant' player by football talent scout Jacek Kulig and has some incredible goals in his locker, hope is not lost yet.

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The lure of playing under Lopetegui rather than Frank Lampard could sway the Atletico man's thinking and he may feel there isn't much between the two clubs, in terms of squad quality.

Cunha would have the potential to be a superb signing for Wolves, igniting their attack and bringing with him a pedigree that has seen him win eight caps for Brazil.