Gary O’Neil could soon have the striker he desires at Wolves, as one target’s move to Molineux edges closer.
After the 2023/24 season exposed Wolves’ lack of squad depth, Gary O’Neil has got to work fast in the summer transfer window.
Already, the manager has secured the signings of Tommy Doyle, Rodrigo Gomes and Pedro Lima, with one other target now poised to arrive in the Midlands.
Wolves target Jorgen Strand Larsen is set to undergo a medical next week ahead of his reported £25m move to Molineux, with the striker being compared to one Premier League star that O’Neil is familiar with.
Wolves transfer target Jorgen Strand Larsen is similar to Dominic Solanke
Out of nowhere, Wolves’ interest in Strand Larsen was reported, as O’Neil edges closer to finally signing a striker to add to his squad.
The Wolves boss made it clear throughout the 2023/24 campaign that he was eager to acquire a number nine, with the Norwegian having the minerals to be the manager’s dream capture.
Last season, the 24-year-old contributed to 16 goals in La Liga for Celta Vigo, scoring 13 and assisting three throughout the league campaign.
Interestingly, Strand Larsen is comparable to one Premier League star who O’Neil worked closely with, as FBref names the Wolves target as a statistical match to Bournemouth talisman Dominic Solanke.
Solanke, whose confidence in front of goal was built up by O’Neil, netted 19 Premier League goals last term, telling of the clinical nature of Wolves’ pending new arrival.
Having worked so well with Solanke at Bournemouth, it will be interesting to see if the Wolves boss can now unearth a similar talent at Molineux, as the Old Gold wait patiently for a reliable number nine.
Strand Larsen can make Gary O’Neil’s wishes for a striker come true
Several names have been linked to Molineux ahead of next season however, it looks as though it will be Strand Larsen who will arrive in the coming weeks.
Once lauded as ‘consistent’ by Champions League-winning manager Rafa Benitez, the Wolves target could act as the next striker for O’Neil to transform in his managerial career.
At the start of the manager’s reign at Bournemouth, Solanke was a shell of the player he has blossomed into, with him hitting form under O’Neil during the 2022/23 campaign.
Considering that the Englishman is statistically comparable to Strand Larsen, the Wolves boss could find great joy at working with another talent who knows how to find the goal.
It will be fascinating to finally see O’Neil integrate a number nine into his system at Wolves, with a lack of potency in the box one of the missing pieces during his first season at Molineux.
