Wolverhampton Wanderers forward Matheus Cunha is facing a race against time to be fit for the new Premier League campaign.
In his first full season at Molineux, Cunha emerged as one of the stars during 2023-24, contributing 14 goals and eight assists in all competitions.
The form of Gary O'Neil's side dropped off when the Brazil international missed a two-month period between February and April, highlighting his influence on the squad.
While the plan had been for Cunha to play an important role during pre-season, that has now changed with the 25-year-old suffering a hamstring injury.
On Saturday night, the versatile attacker had found the back of the net versus West Ham United in a pre-season friendly in the United States before being withdrawn before half time.
After the game, it appeared that he had sustained a minor knee issue, head coach Gary O'Neil acknowledging as much when addressing the media.
O'Neil gives update on Cunha status
However, the Englishman has now moved to clarify the situation, revealing that Cunha would play no part of the upcoming friendlies with Crystal Palace and RB Leipzig, one of his former clubs.
Speaking to the Express & Star's Wolves podcast, O'Neil said: "Cunha felt a slight pain low down in his hamstring.
"He's had a scan and the damage isn't big. It's only a small bit of damage, but it is in an area where it can reoccur, so we do have to manage it carefully.
"I don't envisage him being out long. He won't play again on this trip because there's no need to risk him."
Wolves also have a fixture against Rayo Vallecano at Molineux on August 10, although it is unclear whether O'Neil would be prepared to use Cunha in that game.
Key dates for Wolves in August
Of all the teams in the Premier League, Wolves have been presented with one of the toughest starts, an away encounter at Arsenal on August 17.
A home showdown against Chelsea follows eight days later, that match being put back 24 hours to facilitate the Blues participating in the Europa Conference League playoffs.
Wolves then conclude the month with a trip to Nottingham Forest on August 31. The EFL Cup second round takes place between the aforementioned two previous games, potentially offering a chance to ease Cunha back into action. body check tags ::
