Wolves could sign a defender who Bruno Lage wanted in 2022 to fix their defensive woes.
Gary O’Neil knows that his main priority in this transfer window at Wolves is bolstering his attack, making a good start in that regard with the addition of Portuguese talent Rodrigo Gomes.
Whilst the 20-year-old will bring an abundance of pace and trickery across multiple positions, it isn’t just in the final third where O’Neil needs improvements, with his defence in need of reinforcements.
The Old Gold finished the 2023/24 Premier League campaign with the fourth-highest expected goals against (xGA), with only West Ham, Sheffield United and Luton Town conceding more dangerous opportunities.
Wolves crumbled at the back when Craig Dawson suffered a serious injury in the 3-0 defeat to Newcastle United in March, as the Wanderers conceded 20 goals in their final 11 matches.
The veteran defender was absent for all of them and his presence was sorely missed, although with his contract expiring in 2025, O’Neil could sign a long-term replacement this summer.
Wolves linked with David Carmo, Bruno Lage wanted him in 2022
In the summer of 2022, Wolves were linked with a move for Braga defender David Carmo when Bruno Lage was in charge at Molineux.
Fast forward two years and it appears the club have rekindled their liking for the Angolan, with a report claiming that Wolves have expressed an interest in the 24-year-old.
Carmo currently plays for Portuguese giants Porto, where he’s been since 2022, spending the second half of last season on loan at Europa Conference League winners Olympiacos.
Described as a ‘towering’ presence in a scout report, Carmo is fresh from winning silverware with the Greek giants and would serve as an upgrade on Max Kilman.
David Carmo would be an upgrade on Max Kilman
A detailed report from the Athletic indicated that Wolves want to keep Kilman this summer however, if a side offers a fee in the region of £40 million, the Englishman would be sold.
That is a sum of money many supporters would snap your hand off for and if a team such as West Ham were willing to pay it, Carmo would be an upgrade on the 26-year-old.
Compared to Liverpool centre-back Virgil van Dijk due to his big stature and ability on the ball, Carmo excels in physical duels, an area Kilman often struggles, while showcasing his elegant passing range.
According to FBref, the Angolan international outranks the Wolves defender for progressive passes, aerials won and blocks, along with many other statistics.
Kilman betters Carmo across some of the defensive statistics as Wolves take on more responsibility in that regard but when it comes to his ability in the air while progressing play forward with the ball and winning possession high, the Porto man comes out on top.
A threat in both boxes, as demonstrated by his 4.42 aerials won per 90 and 1.49 touches in the opposing penalty area, Carmo would offer O’Neil a great threat from set-pieces.
For a rumoured fee of £15 million, the Portuguese-born powerhouse would be a bargain signing and a fitting upgrade on Kilman, who could leave Molineux if the right offer comes in.