Wolves are expected to be in the market for a striker this summer
Wolverhampton Wanderers have emerged as one of the leading contenders to sign a highly-rated Serie A striker dubbed the next ‘Didier Drogba’.
Wolves are expected to be in the market for attacking reinforcements this summer as they face up to the prospect of losing star performer Matheus Cunha to Manchester United in the coming weeks. United are pressing ahead with a deal for the Brazilian forward, who has a £62.5m release clause, with Fabrizio Romano reporting that an agreement between the two parties is very close.
The loss of Cunha to a Premier League rival will be a huge blow for Wolves fans, and one that will leave Vitor Pereira with plenty to do on the transfer front as he looks to replace the output of a player with 15 goals and counting in the league this season.
However, Caught Offside understands Wolves have identified Valentin Castellanos as a potential target as the team aim to acquire an attacking player that would lift the mood around Molineux heading into the new season.
Wolves target Valentin Castellanos
Valentin Castellanos is thought to be a top summer target for Wolves. The 26-year-old’s impressive performances in Serie A have caught the attention of a number of Premier League clubs such as West Ham, Everton and Nottingham Forest but Wolves could potentially be the team in the best position to submit an opening offer after making a huge profit from Cunha.
Castellanos started his career at Club Universidad de Chile in 2017 and played for Montevideo City Torque before spending time in North America with New York City FC. He began to make a name for himself in the States when he won the MLS Cup in 2021 while also winning the Golden Boot after scoring 19 in 32 matches.
He moved to Spanish side Girona in 2022 and scored 13 times in 35 league appearances during the loan move before joining Lazio in Serie A. The two-time Argentina international took time to settle in Italy with just four league goals in his opening season but has been much improved this season with 10 goals and three assists in 29 league appearances while also scoring four in 11 games at Europa League level.
How much is Valentin Castellanos expected to cost?
Valentin Castellanos is expected to command a transfer fee of around £29m which is just under half what Wolves are likely to receive for Matheus Cunha. Everton are also considering a potential swoop amid uncertainty surrounding the contract situation of Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who is yet to agree a new deal.
At this stage, however, West Ham are thought to be the closest to submitting an offer after a poor season in front of goal for the Hammers which has seen Niclas Fullkrug struggle with injuries after his marquee move from the Bundesliga. Graham Potter is yet to hit the ground running as West Ham boss and is likely to make wholesale changes to the first team squad this summer.
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