da betano casino： Wolverhampton Wanderers could soon be in for another busy month, although, the only difference is that it’ll be the January transfer window.
da dobrowin： The west Midlanders could face over 60 games this season as the FA Cup soon begins, the Europa League will continue into the knockout stages and the Premier League top-six push trundles on.
Manager Nuno Santo has already acknowledged the need to make additions next month, but who and what position remains to be seen.
Earlier this week, the club were linked to Lille anchorman Boubakary Soumare in a reported €50m (£42.5m) move, per Foot Mercato, with the possibility of loaning him back to the Ligue 1 club.
This would align with BirminghamLive’s claim that Wolves would pursue central options on defence and in midfield, making the 20-year-old a very ideal target.
Would the move be the right one? Should he actually be loaned back? Here’s what the writers at Football FanCast think…
Matt Dawson “Wolves have done some remarkable business since being taken over by Fosun, namely landing Ruben Neves for a Championship-record fee and acquiring Joao Moutinho for a measly £5m. Not only that, but they broke their transfer record to land Raul Jimenez on a permanent basis too. For the most part, their work in the market has been impressive. However, if they broke the bank for a player like Soumare it could be a hefty mistake.“Yes it would fit the profile of player Nuno and Fosun are looking to build the side around in the years to come but Wolves should be throwing that sort of money at a proven individual, someone that’s capable at the highest level and can take them further in European competitions.“Soumare is one to watch for the future and after being compared to Paul Pogba, there is clear potential. However, he is not a player for the present, something that arguably Wolves require. Soumare has an eye-catching pass success rate north of 89% but he makes just 0.9 tackles per game. For someone who plays as a defensive midfielder, you’d want more for the type of fee that’s being thrown around. Wolves must swerve this deal.” Viji Jeevathayalan
“With reports suggesting the likes of Manchester United and Tottenham are also reportedly interested in securing his services, Wolves could prove their credentials as an elite Premier League club by snaring Boubakary Soumare from under their noses. At just 20-years-old, the Frenchman has plenty of room to grow and could bring some youth and energy into Wolves’ midfield. As per Sofascore, he has averaged 3.2 duels won per game and has a passing accuracy of 90%. And standing at an imposing 6 foot 2, he certainly has the physical attributes to be trained into a ball-playing centre-back by Nuno Espirito Santo if needs be. At the fee being quoted, it is unquestionably a large amount of money to shell out on what is still an unproven entity. But the size of the clubs involved in the race to sign him shows how highly-coveted he is. Nuno could seal his legacy with a swoop for Soumare.”
Danny Lewis
“Signing Soumare is an exciting prospect for Wolves when it is considered how solid he has been in the Champions League this campaign, averaging 1 tackle, 1.5 clearances and 2 interceptions per game. However, the fact they will be loaning him back to Lille, means that despite spending a considerable sum of money, they won’t actually be addressing the current issue in their squad. It may seem short-sighted, but seeing as they are only two points off fifth at the moment, Wolves should be looking for someone who can help them this season.”
Lewis Blain
“Wolves need to make this signing at all costs, irrespective of whether he arrives this season or next. In Champions League this term, the young Frenchman is averaging three dribbles, two interceptions, 1.5 clearances and one tackle per game, via WhoScored. That’s pretty good going. He could be a much-needed defensive midfield acquisition, thus allowing Ruben Neves to thrive further forward. His former teammate, Arnaud Luzayadio, once said: “He has always been above our generation. He managed to do high-level things for his age. It was easy for him. All of his matches were great matches.” While another ex-Paris Saint Germain player, Metehan Güclü, believed his career could “go a long way; a Pogba-like trajectory.” so might he be Wolves’ Pogba? That would be exciting.”
Whose Line Is It Anyway: Roy Keane, Graeme Souness or Adrian Durham?
And in other news, here’s how Wolves could look following the January transfer window…