Wolves fans were happy to see Mario Lemina leave in February, but they won’t be pleased to know that one star could join him in Turkey this summer.
Lemina losing his head against West Ham in December began a chain of events that eventually led to his exit from Molineux.
Gary O’Neil stripped the Gabon international of his captaincy after that moment, and once Vitor Pereira was announced as manager, he never really featured in his plans.
The 31-year-old suffered a calf injury that saw him miss Pereira’s first three games in charge, but once he returned, Lemina refused to play against Newcastle after featuring for just 31 minutes in the loss to Nottingham Forest.
There was no way back for the midfielder at that point after burning bridges with the fans, and Lemina joined Galatasaray for £2.5 million in February. Now, one former Wolves teammate could join him this summer.
Photo by Cameron Smith - WWFC/Wolves via Getty Images
Photo by Cameron Smith – WWFC/Wolves via Getty Images
Galatasaray want to sign Wolves captain Nelson Semedo
According to transfer reporter Pete O’Rourke, Galatasaray are pushing to sign Nelson Semedo, with the full-back set to leave Molineux.
Galatasaray are pushing to sign Portugal international Nelson Semedo on a free transfer with the full-back set to leave Wolves. #Galatasaray #wwfc pic.twitter.com/OwN781JS1n
— Pete O'Rourke (@SportsPeteO) May 29, 2025
Galatasaray aren’t alone in their pursuit of the 31-year-old, as Manchester United have shown an interest in Semedo, who is also wanted by his former club Benfica and teams in the MLS and Saudi Arabia.
Wolves have offered Semedo a four-year contract in an attempt to keep him in Wolverhampton, but as it stands, he’s heading towards the exit door after almost five years at the club.
MORE WOLVES STORIES
It was revealed on Tuesday that Semedo could return to Benfica once his contract expires, seeing it as a ‘great’ opportunity and a club that belongs in his heart.
But either way, Semedo is still deciding his Wolves future following the completion of the 2024/25 season, and has even filmed a goodbye video to the fans in case he does depart.
All roads lead to the former Barcelona man leaving Pereira’s project behind to take on a new challenge, and if he does, he will be a massive loss in every sense.
Semedo leaving Wolves would be a big blow
Semedo was shocked after being given the captain’s armband, with some fans even questioning the decision at the time.
But he’s become a huge success in his leadership role, and it would be a shame to see him depart, as it would require the Old Gold to find their fourth different captain in the space of a year.
Nelson Semedo for Wolves (2020-present)
Appearances – 182
Goals – 3
Assists – 11
Dave Edwards lauded Semedo’s leadership qualities last week after watching him shake every single person’s hand who was a guest at the club.
It’s such minor details off the pitch that can contribute to a positive feeling on it, with Wolves potentially losing Semedo’s ‘quality’ presence.
A captain is someone who offers stability, and unfortunately, Wolves haven’t had that in recent years, and it appears they will be handing the armband to someone else this summer.