Wolverhampton Wanderers are weighing up their options this summer, as the transfer window officially opens today.
It’s expected to be a busy but tough break for Julen Lopetegui, who will hope to bolster his squad while adhering to Wolves’ Financial Fair Play (FFP) boundaries.
Despite the uncertainty over what the Spaniard will be able to spend this summer, links to players remain frequent, with one of Europe’s brightest talents emerging as a possible candidate.
What’s the latest on Joao Felix to Wolves?
As reported by Spanish outlet Marca yesterday, Atletico Madrid forward Joao Felix could consider Wolves as a suitable club to continue his career at in what would be an ambitious statement from Fosun and co.
The report claims that the 23-year-old may have to consider taking a step back from the ‘glamour of big clubs’ in order to exploit his talent, where the Midlands club are mentioned.
Meanwhile, his agent Jorge Mendes is raised as a key factor that could aid the Portuguese ace's potential move to Molineux, where he has a significant influence.
According to FootballTransfers, the Atletico forward is valued around the £40m mark.
What could Joao Felix offer to Wolves?
Once hailed as “special” by former teammate Alvaro Morata, Felix has a host of experience in playing at the top level, despite only being 23 years old.
As per Transfermarkt, the forward has contributed to a total of 107 goals in 238 career appearances representing Benfica, Atletico and more recently, Chelsea.
After reportedly falling out with Diego Simeone, the Portugal whiz finds himself in a situation this summer where his future is up in the air after the west London club denied the option to sign him permanently.
Taking a step away from the ‘top clubs’ could be the best option for Felix to get his career back on track in a consistent nature, which is where Lopetegui’s side could play host to his development.
There are plenty of areas that the forward could improve at Molineux and could end their woes in front of goal for starters, with Wolves ending the 2022/23 season as the English top-flight's lowest scorers.
The introduction of a high-profile name could also naturally bolster the performance of those on the side, with one name in particular that could form a dangerous partnership with the former Chelsea loanee.
Having been lauded in the past as a “superstar” by Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher (as relayed by Molineux News), Pedro Neto has shown spells of the player he could become in his four seasons so far at Molineux, however, he could thrive playing alongside his compatriot Felix.
The young winger shows promise in averaging 1.2 key passes per game, however with underperforming attacking outlets at Wolves this campaign, it’s been a dreary season in the final third.
Neto could have a strong partner in attack in Felix, who ranks in the top 4% of forwards in Europe over the past year in terms of total shots, averaging 4.04 per 90, showing the lively threat he could inject to Lopetegui’s system, via FBref.
With no confirmed interest submitted, only time will tell if Wolves could provide a realistic option for the Portugal international to flourish, however, there is little to deny the impact he could have at Molineux, given the evidence above.