Wolves have one of the Premier League’s best defensive midfielders in their ranks as Joao Gomes continues to go from strength to strength.
While Rayan Ait-Nouri and Matheus Cunha jumped ship this summer, midfielder Joao Gomes signed a new long-term contract in April.
Wolves fans have been delighted to see the 24-year-old commit his future to the club after several European giants were interested in his signature.
The Brazilian had another sensational campaign at Molineux, as Gomes ranked fourth in the Premier League for possession won and third for most tackles per game.
Nicknamed the ‘Pitbull’ for his ferocity in the tackle and ability to win possession back, the Wolves star has garnered praise for his tackling, yet there’s someone they’re currently after who is even better.
Nico Raskin celebrates after scoring for Rangers.
Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images
Wolves target Nicolas Raskin has averaged more tackles per 90 than Joao Gomes
Wolves have been linked with Rangers midfielder Nicolas Raskin as Pereira aims to bolster his engine room with the expected departure of Tommy Doyle.
Raskin was integral for the Scottish giants last term after plundering 16 goal involvements in all competitions, including 11 assists.
The Belgian international showcased his willingness to drive forward with the ball and create chances for his teammates, something that Wolves could do with in the middle of the park.
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However, the 24-year-old was also a machine at winning possession back, as demonstrated by him averaging more tackles per 90 in the past year than Gomes.
Stat Joao Gomes Nicolas Raskin
Tackles per 90 past year 3.51 4.11
Stats via FBref
Incredibly, Raskin didn’t just beat the Brazilian for arguably his strongest attribute, but he also ranked inside the top 1% of midfielders across Europe.
It demonstrates that the Rangers’ star can offer some strong competition for the sensational midfield duo of Gomes and Andre.
Gomes carries the nickname ‘Pitbull’ due to his aggressive play style, and he isn’t the only one being called it, as the term was attributed to Raskin.
In March, Raskin earned a standing ovation for his outstanding performance in Belgium’s 3-0 win over Ukraine in the Nations League.
As a result, the media in Raskin’s homeland came together to deliver unanimous praise towards the all-action midfielder, with Sporza hailing his energy and ‘pit bull’-like qualities.
They wrote: ”Nicolas Raskin was the discovery. After 5 minutes he was already unjustly shown a yellow card in his position. That’s very annoying, but what an energetic pit bull he is with good feet.”
With incredible ball-winning qualities and the numbers to match in the final third, Raskin could be an ‘excellent’ pick-up for Pereira.