Wolverhampton Wanderers have endured a dismal run of form just when they required some consistency to secure a top-half Premier League finish.
Despite fairly lavish spending in recent years which saw the club sign the likes of Joao Gomes (£15m), Matheus Nunes (£42.2m) and Goncalo Guedes (£27.5m), it is clear that Gary O’Neil will be limited this summer.
“I don’t think there will be money available to us if nobody leaves,” said the manager during a press conference last week.
“Of course these things can change so I’m not committing either way, but I wouldn’t expect it to be a summer where we spend millions of the club’s own money on players. I think it won’t be the same as last year where we have to sell loads and make a huge profit, but I wouldn’t expect it to be a spending spree.”
It could be a fairly long summer for the Molineux faithful regarding potential incomings, but could O’Neil be closing in on his first signing already?
Wolves transfer news
As it appears O’Neil will have to resort to bargain signings and free transfers this summer, it looks as though they are moving closer to securing a deal for Southampton forward Che Adams.
That’s according to Football Insider, who claim that talks are advancing between Adams and the Old Gold. His contact at the south coast side expires next month, which means O’Neil would be able to bolster his squad without spending a single penny on a transfer fee for the forward.
Football Insider revealed that the striker was on their radar during the January transfer window, yet no move ever materialised as he remained with the Saints until the end of the season.
The report also states that Wolves are looking to beat multiple clubs to his signature in the coming weeks, and it could certainly turn into a shrewd piece of business.
Wolves do currently have a few forwards at their disposal who have enjoyed wonderful seasons for the club during 2023/24. One is even currently valued at over £20m more than Adams is right now – Matheus Cunha.
Matheus Cunha’s form for Wolves this season
The Brazilian arrived from Atlético Madrid in January 2023, initially on loan, but would join the club for a fee in the region of £35m at the end of the season.
Two goals in his first 17 Premier League matches were hardly prolific, but the centre-forward was clearly getting used to English football as his form this term has been incredible.
Across 35 games in all competitions, Cunha has found the back of the net 14 times, while chipping in with eight assists, leading the goalscoring charts at the club by one goal from Hwang Hee-Chan.
While his goals have certainly helped the Old Gold impress during spells this season, Cunha’s game isn’t based on this one metric. Indeed, when compared to positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues, the 24-year-old currently ranks in the top 3% for successful take-ons (2.36) and progressive carries (3.99) per 90, while also ranking in the top 10% for assists (0.27) per 90, showcasing how important he is when linking up with teammates and taking on opposition defenders.
This impressive form may see O’Neil faced with a bit of a headache, especially if interest in the former Atlético frontman begins to gather momentum.
According to Football Transfers, his current valuation is €29.1m (£25m) and this could certainly rise if he takes his current form into next season.
Stats
2022/23
2023/24
Goals
2
12
Assists
0
7
Big chances created
1
7
Shots on target per game
0.4
1.2
Key passes per game
0.4
0.9
Could there be a possibility that he is sold in order to fund future signings? Or will Wolves keep hold of the player hailed as “underrated” by football talent scout Jacek Kulig during his spell with Hertha Berlin in 2020.
Adams may not be a marquee name, yet he does have a plethora of Premier League experience and this could supplement the squad fairly well heading into next season.
Che Adams' market value
During his spell with the Saints, Adams has scored 48 goals in 190 appearances, with 25 of those coming in the top flight.
This suggests that he isn’t exactly the most prolific centre-forward, but he does offer other qualities which could be of good use to O’Neil in the top flight.
While predominantly used as a centre-forward, Adams has been utilised on either wing during his career, showing that he can be flexible if required.
Additionally, Adams likes to move the ball forward at all times, ranking in the top 5% across his positional peers for progressive passes per 90 (3.46) while also ranking in the top 25% for assists per 90 (0.16), evidence that he likes to link up play with others while also trying to create chances for his teammates.
This season has been his most prolific in front of goal since 2018/19, scoring 17 times while registering six assists in all competitions for the Saints.
Market Movers
Football FanCast's Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club's star player or biggest flop worth today?
Despite this decent run of form, the Scottish international is currently valued at just €6.4m (£5.5m) according to Football Transfers, which is nearly £20m less than Cunha’s market valuation at the time of writing.
This indicates that the Old Gold have a player who isn’t only worth a lot more than Adams, but should he be moved on in the near future, would generate a decent fee, especially if he maintains his form.
Unless some big offers arrive for their key players, O’Neil is going to have to resort to shopping for bargains this summer, which could mean making the top half of the Premier League table next season might be slightly more difficult.
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There is a wonderful core to the current Wolves team, yet if it is broken up prior to the 2024/25 campaign, it may take longer than one transfer window to fix.
O’Neil is indeed caught between a rock and a hard place, but his shrewd tactics have seen the Old Gold secure positive results this term, meaning he is definitely the correct man to lead their charge next season.
