An intense level of scrutiny has been directed towards Fosun at Wolves, and rightly so, but the Old Gold have also unearthed some gems in the transfer market.
The Wanderers have a number of stars who could pocket them club-record fees in the summer after capturing them for bargain prices.
For instance, Wolves signed Joao Gomes for £15 million in January 2023, and the combative midfielder could now command a fee higher than the £54 million Wolves sold Pedro Neto for.
Likewise, only £9.5 million was shelled out to sign wing-back Rayan Ait-Nouri in 2021, with the Algerian now arguably worth upwards of £40 million.
But for all of their positive movement in the market, Wolves will kick themselves for not signing one player who has risen to prominence on the European stage.
Photo by ANP via Getty Images
Photo by ANP via Getty Images
Wolves could have signed Michael Olise for £8 million in 2021
In October 2020, Wolves were linked with winger Michael Olise when the teenager was starring at Championship side Reading.
The Wanderers were joined by the likes of Arsenal and Leeds United in the chase for his signature, with Nuno Espirito Santo wanting an exciting winger to complement Pedro Neto.
It was reported that two of the above clubs made a £5 million bid for Olise towards the end of 2020, but Reading swatted interest away, and he remained at the Madejski till the summer of 2021.
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Unfortunately, Wolves never returned with an improved bid for the Englishman, and it was fellow Premier League side Crystal Palace who triggered his £8 million release clause (BBC Sport).
That proved to be a transfer masterstroke from the Eagles, who developed the Frenchman into a top-class Premier League winger.
Olise scored 16 goals and supplied 25 assists in 90 appearances for Palace, and in the summer of 2024, Bayern Munich snapped him up for £50 million.
Olise is now worth £100m after Wolves tried to sign him
According to The Mirror, Bayern believe they now have a £100 million player on their hands, and in today’s market, it’s hard to disagree.
Michael Olise’s Bayern Munich statistics
Games – 39
Goals – 13
Assists – 11
The 23-year-old has lit up the Allianz Arena with some sensational performances, while scoring five and assisting twice in the Champions League this term.
Olise is now regarded as one of the best wingers on the planet, and considering Wolves could have signed him for £8 million four years ago, that is a big kick in the teeth.