Wolves have submitted a bid for a target they’ve been chasing for a while, and he could be the perfect heir to Pedro Neto’s throne at Molineux.
Gary O’Neil is aware that to invest at Wolves this summer he may need to sacrifice one of his crown jewels at Molineux.
Pedro Neto is the most likely candidate to leave the club, with the talented Portuguese winger attracting interest from Arsenal.
According to the Athletic, there is an acceptance that this coming transfer window could be the best time for Neto to leave, adding that Wolves will not ‘stand in his way’ if the £60 million valuation is met.
The 24-year-old saw his campaign hampered by multiple hamstring injuries, and that has been a common theme during his time at Wolverhampton, though Neto still produced the goods.
He scored two goals and supplied nine assists in 20 Premier League appearances, finishing just four behind the league’s chief creator, Ollie Watkins.
With the Portuguese international poised to move on after five years, Wolves may have found a ready-made replacement for him.
Wolves submit £12.7 million bid for Braga’s Rodrigo Gomes
Rodrigo Gomes is a player Wolves have been after for a while and it was reported last week that the talented winger was in advanced talks to join Champions League side Atletico Madrid.
The Spanish were said to have made a £12.7 million bid for the 20-year-old and at this point, all hope was lost.
It didn’t seem possible to beat a club of Atletico’s stature to a player however, Portuguese outlet Record – as relayed by Sport Witness – have reported that Wolves have matched their offer for the player.
The Old Gold are willing to ‘fight’ for a player they scouted numerous times last season, and while landing the exciting youngster could be out of their reach, the club are showing ambition that needs to be replicated across the window.
Wolves Portuguese links could give them the edge
When super agent Jorge Mendes dictated many transfers in Fosun’s early years at Molineux, he was able to attract some of the best Portuguese talents on the continent.
The likes of Rui Patricio, Ruben Neves, Diogo Jota, Neto and Joao Moutinho all joined during their most successful period, which saw Wolves qualifying for Europe twice under Nuno Espirito Santo.
In a transfer tug of war with a European powerhouse, the Old Gold need to use all the tools in their armoury to persuade Gomes to join the club.
Their ability to nurture and improve some of the planet’s best Portuguese players is one reason why the “top-class” 20-year-old should join the club.
He will have seen how Neto has evolved into one of the Premier League’s most sought-after wingers since arriving in 2019 and under the guidance of O’Neil, he could become the heir to his throne.
The 2003-born winger had an excellent season on loan at Estoril with seven goals and seven assists while his attacking metrics suggest he has the potential to become a big hit in England.
In the Premeira Liga last term, he ranked in the top 2% of wingers for progressive carries, the top 3% for touches (att pen) and the top 4% for non-penalty xG per 90.
Those metrics, in particular, demonstrate why he’s being chased by Atletico Madrid, so if Wolves can somehow prise him to Molineux, a fee of £12.7 million would be a bargain.