Jorgen Strand Larsen is close to completing his move to Wolves from Celta Vigo, and a Champions League-winning manager has explained why he’ll be a success in the Premier League.
Wolves have been crying out for a new centre-forward for a long time and that need was heightened when Gary O’Neil arrived at Molineux.
The Old Gold huffed and puffed in their attempts to sign a new striker in January, failing to land multiple targets, including Carlos Vinicius and Armando Broja.
Now, it appears that O’Neil has captured his number one target, agreeing to sign Norwegian Jorgen Strand Larsen from La Liga side Celta Vigo.
The 24-year-old will arrive in Wolverhampton on Monday to complete his medical ahead of an initial loan move, which will see it become permanent for €27m (£22.8m) if he triggers an appearance clause in his contract.
Strand Larsen, who has been compared to Norwegian counterpart Erling Haaland, scored 13 goals in the Spanish top division in 2023/24 as Celta finished in 13th place.
Rafael Benitez thinks Jorgen Strand Larsen will succeed in the Premier League
A former Champions League-winning manager with Liverpool in 2005, Rafael Benitez is a well-respected coach in world football.
The Spaniard also managed Strand Larsen during his time at Celta Vigo, where he was sacked from his post in March.
Benitez knows the physical and technical strengths of the striker inside out, and he believes the Norwegian sharpshooter will be a success in England’s top flight.
In an interview with La Voz de Galicia, he explained how his attributes, including his ability to press and finishing expertise, can see him flourish. “He is a player who is quite consistent and that he is increasingly embellishing it with quality details and that of an important footballer,” Benitez said.
“He has aspects of the game that need improvement, and he knows it. He is a very hard worker. He has improved in finishing and in understanding what he has to do depending on his teammates and his rivals. He is in a growth phase, but he is young and has a lot of desire.”
“When he adjusts a few things, he has all the potential to go to the Premier League.”
The perfect striker for Gary O’Neil
Although Wolves played some free-flowing football last term, O’Neil lacked a focal point at the top end of the pitch to finish the chances that were created by the likes of Pedro Neto, Matheus Cunha and Hwang Hee-Chan.
Standing at 6 foot 4, Strand Larsen is the perfect striker to spearhead the attacking line. He’s exceptional in the air due to his height, winning 2.29 aerial duels per game, while his intelligence to occupy dangerous positions can see him profit from the chances created.
The biggest issue Wolves had last term was that Hwang and Cunha aren’t natural centre forwards, so they tended to drop off and receive the ball as opposed to making runs into the box or pinning defenders.
Strand Larsen has the strength and power to hold up the ball along with the pace to run in behind. This is what makes him such an exciting prospect, and O’Neil will hope to make him even better, as he did with Rayan Ait-Nouri, Hwang and Cunha.
