It is going to be a very busy and interesting summer at Wolves – and Fosun could seek to go back to old ways.
Wolves have endured a very turbulent 2024/25 campaign, but it looks as though it will end with the club staying in the Premier League.
Vitor Pereira replaced Gary O’Neil in December, and has managed to guide Wolves to nine points clear of the relegation zone.
A couple more positive results will see Wolves safe, with West Ham United up next for Wanderers on Tuesday.
Preparations are already underway for next season though, and there will be a lot of activity, with players leaving at the end of their contracts, and some set to be bought by other clubs.
Good recruitment will be so key this summer, and Fosun are reportedly set to continue with their self-sustaining model.
But there has been a suggestion today that Wolves may reignite their Jorge Mendes link this summer.
Jorge Mendes’ right hand man Valdir Cardoso visited Compton recently
Photo credit should read PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA/AFP via Getty Images
Photo credit should read PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA/AFP via Getty Images
Journalist Johnny Phillips has written a new piece about Wolves, Fosun and the coming summer.
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He states that agent Jorge Mendes’ right hand man Valdir Cardoso ‘was at Compton Park for meetings with the club recently’.
The main purpose of his visit is unclear, but Phillips does say that the meetings included ‘the discussion of transfer strategy amongst other matters’, which is certainly intriguing.
Cardoso was said to be a key figure in Wolves’ rise under Fosun in the earlier years when the partnership with Mendes and his Gestifute agency was just being established.
Phillips reports: “His value went beyond just transfer dealings and extended to the way the players conducted themselves during their time at the club.
“Players from the Gestifute stable generally proved easy to deal with, partially through Cardoso’s guidance.”
Phillips goes on to say that ‘there is a recognition now that something needs to change’, before suggesting the club may be reconnecting with the Gestifute agency this summer.
Wolves, he says, are in a position to ‘reset’ this summer, and ‘reconnecting with a trusted market and player agency’ can help bring the club stability again.
Gestifute and Mendes have served Wolves well
It will be very interesting to see just how much Wolves’ summer window is influenced by Mendes and Gestifute.
In recent times, there has been less of a dependence on the super agent.
But it seems Wolves could be looking to turn to him and his stable to help build their squad for the 2025/26.
Gestifute clients Wolves have brought to Molineux
Nuno Espirito Santo
Ivan Cavaleiro
Ruben Neves
Diogo Jota
Rui Patricio
Pedro Neto
Joao Moutinho
Adama Traore
Rayan Ait-Nouri
Nelson Semedo
Daniel Podence
Vitinha
Jose Sa
Bruno Lage
Francisco Trincao
Goncalo Guedes
Matheus Nunes
Mendes has facilitated several transfer deals for Wolves in the past, with the likes of Ruben Neves, Diogo Jota and Pedro Neto all pitching up at Molineux.
Wolves have struggled in the Premier League in the last few years, and it’s possible that reigniting the link with Mendes could be key in helping the club to push on.