O’Neil Could get Dream Summer with £20m Kilman Replacement & ‘Charismatic’ Free Agent.
The 2023//2024 season was a solid, if not ever so slightly disappointing year for Wolves fans. Manager Gary O’Neil got the Old Gold playing some entertaining stuff for large parts of the season, noticeably unlocking another level of performance from £44m Brazilian forward Matheus Cunha; but a 14th placed finish in the Premier League, and the sale of key midfield men Ruben Neves and Matheus Nunes left many wondering how the midlands club might look to progress in the coming years.
With that in mind, here’s a look at who Wolves have already brought in so far this transfer window, who they have managed to get off their books, and what else would be needed for Wolves fans to truly view this as a dream transfer window.
Sales
Max Kilman, Oliver Tipton, Fabio Silva, Daniel Podence, Goncalo Guedes.
Not many dream transfer windows begin with the sale of your club captain, but Wolves fans can at least take some solace from knowing that they got a very handsome fee for Max Kilman. After leaving for West Ham for £40m, Wolves will be looking to fill the void left by Kilman in their back line, but are said to have already found their preferred option – a talented player with Premier League experience, who could cost in the region of just £20m. More on that later.
In terms of other high-profile departures, many fans will be hoping for no further moves. Academy prospect Oliver Tipton has left the club, joining non-league side Solihull Moors F.C, and there have been rumours linking forward Hwang Hee-Chan with a move to French side Marseille – who are hoping to pair him with new acquisition Mason Greenwood. Wolves fans will be hoping that this remains just a rumour, however, with fan-favourite Hee-Chan having scored 13 goals in his 31 appearances last season, goals that proved vital in securing Wolves’ Premier League future. Star Pedro Neto has also been linked with a move away with the likes fo Newcastle, Arsenal and Spurs all monitoring the Portuguese winger.
There may be additional transfer funds to be found in the forms of Fabio Silva, Goncalo Guedes, and Daniel Podence, all of whom spent last season out on loan. Podence excelled at former club Olympiacos, whilst Silva and Guedes largely disappointed at Rangers and Villarreal respectively. If Wolves could sell each for a fee, even if only a portion of the £80m spent on bringing in the trio, it would help to both free up vitally needed additional funds, whilst also shifting a healthy chunk off of their annual wage budget.
Dream Signings
Anel Ahmedhodzic, Nico Elvedi, Francisco Moura, Kelechi Iheanacho
Now, onto the signings – both already confirmed, and hopeful. Wolves have kick-started their window with a small flurry of deals, confirming the capture of Manchester City midfielder Tommy Doyle (who returns after a successful loan spell last year), highly-rated right-back Rodrigo Gomes who joins from Portuguese side Braga, and Pedro Lima, another highly-rated 18-year-old right-back, Pedro Lima, who makes the move from Brazilian side Sport Recife.
Rather more crucially, Wolves have also moved to address their sometimes-blunt attacking line, bringing in Celta Vigo striker Jorgen Strand Larsen on an initial season-long loan. The 6 foot 4 inch Norwegian scored 13 times in La Liga last season, and drew inevitable comparisons to compatriot Erling Haaland, due to the pair’s athleticism, height, and physicality. Whilst great things are expected of Larsen – as evidenced by the £25m obligation to buy clause in the deal – he will certainly have a lot on his hands if Wolves fans are expecting him to keep pace with his Manchester City counterpart.
As mentioned at the top of this piece, Wolves and O’Neill are also moving quickly to fill the hole in their defence, left by Max Kilman’s sale. Sheffield United’s Anel Ahmedhodzic is said to be firmly at the top of their list, with The Blades rumoured to be looking for £20m for their Swedish stalwart. Despite being part of a defence that was relegated from the Premier League last year – and indeed with one of the worst defensive records in Premier League history – Ahmedhodzic did receive praise from many, and Wolves fans will be hoping he can make the step-up with relative ease, if he is to move.
Another defensive option which could bolster the Wolves ranks is Nico Elvedi, with reports suggesting the midlands club are in talks with the £8.6m rated man. The versatile Borussia Monchengladbach defender would give fresh blood to an aging backline and has already played more than 300 games in the Bundesliga.
GIVEMESPORT sources revealed in June that Wolves have made initial contact with Francisco Moura and Famalicao over a potential move to the Premier League. The left-back would cost £8.5million should Wolves aim to sign him permanently, with left-back being a huge area of need for the club.
Wolves could be also looking for another striker to add depth to their squad with Kelechi Iheanacho a top target. The midlands side are reportedly going toe-to-toe with West Ham United following the Nigerian’s departure from Leicester City. The striker, once described as incredible by Pep Guardiola, has more than 40 Premier League goals to his name over his career and would add support to the newly signed Jorgen Strand Larsen.
