Wolverhampton Wanderers will have money to spend this summer as a key player nears a big-money exit.
Wolverhampton Wanderers will be glad to move on from a mixed 2024/25 season, which began with relegation fears but ended with much optimism around the club despite a final league finish of 16th.
Vitor Pereira took over from Gary O’Neil on 19 December and oversaw a remarkable turnaround in the spring, with 12 wins from 25 matches in all competitions representing a 48% win record. While a lot has been made of the struggles of the three promoted sides over the campaign, Wolves’ final total of 42 points would likely have seen them safe regardless - a team with 42 points has only been relegated from the Premier League once in history.
The Old Gold had star performers all over the park during a stunning six-game win streak in the Premier League, but Matheus Cunha and Jorgen Strand Larsen grabbed the headlines as they became one of the most potent double acts in the division. The pair struck 29 league goals between them, with 15-goal Cunha Wolves’ top scorer and most consistent performer throughout the campaign. The 25-year-old has long been linked with a move away from Molineux this summer, and an update has been issued regarding the Brazilian’s future.
Man United move for Cunha ‘moves closer’
Manchester United have been touted as leading the race for Cunha’s signature, and fresh reports say that a deal is close to completion for Wolves’ star man to move to Old Trafford. Cunha has a £62.5m release clause which is likely to be activated this summer, thus giving Pereira a significant amount of money to spend in his first summer transfer window with the club.
Money to spend as Wolves hope to strengthen key areas of the pitch
While the club will be sad to part ways with a player who the fans have taken into their hearts, the £62.5m club record transfer fee will mean a large transfer kitty for the Molineux club over the summer as they hope to consolidate ahead of another important campaign.
Replacing Cunha won’t come easy, though, and it may take multiple players to replace his influence on the team both from a creativity and a goalscoring standpoint. The Old Gold have been linked with Liverpool midfielder Harvey Elliott, who has been out of favour at the Premier League champions under Arne Slot and may seek a move for more regular first-team football. The 22-year-old would cost Wolves around £50m. Atlético Madrid winger Samuel Lino has also been viewed as a ‘serious option’ for Wolves to sign this summer, while Lazio striker Taty Castellanos has been linked with a £25m transfer to Molineux amidst interest from Nottingham Forest.
The impact Pereira’s new signings will have on the club remains to be seen, with no guarantees that a player of Cunha’s quality is replaceable, but Wolves have been here before and have always adapted well to the sale of key players for significant profit. What is for certain is that there is set to be significant transfer business taking place at Molineux this summer, and the West Midlands club will have no shortage of money to spend.
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