Vitor Pereira’s work at Wolves could mean nothing if Fosun fail to address one pressing transfer problem.
The summer transfer window opened for its first spell on June 1st, and instantly, Wolves were involved in the action.
Matheus Cunha completed a move to Manchester United, signing for the Red Devils after his £62.5m release clause was triggered.
As well as Cunha, it appears that Rayan Ait-Nouri will leave Wolves, as Manchester City have set out to sign the left-back before the Club World Cup.
Photo by Jack Thomas - WWFC/Wolves via Getty Images
Photo by Jack Thomas – WWFC/Wolves via Getty Images
Wolves can’t afford to lose Rayan Ait-Nouri and Matheus Cunha
Though Wolves are happy that Cunha secured an early transfer, losing Ait-Nouri as well could represent a sinister ultimatum for Fosun.
Wolves’ owners must sufficiently replace the duo or face another season battling relegation, with the impact of the pair on Vitor Pereira’s squad reflecting something that simply cannot be ignored.
Over the 2024/25 season, Cunha racked up 21 goal contributions while Ait-Nouri totalled 11, numbers that, when combined, make for ominous reading.
Wolves made history by recording their highest goal tally in the Premier League, netting 54 times over the campaign, and such would’ve been impossible without Cunha and Ait-Nouri’s brilliance.
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Combining the duo’s goal contributions, the Brazilian and Algerian found themselves responsible for an eye-watering 59% of Wolves’ Premier League goals last season.
Take their expertise in the final third away, and Pereira’s side will struggle, which is no longer an unwelcome thought but a nightmare reality.
Fosun will relegate Wolves if there is no solution to sales
Pereira has already made his demands to Fosun clear, but this year, the transfer window holds an entirely different importance.
To many, Fosun are responsible for Wolves’ decline, aiming to make a self-sustainable model work, which has seen the Old Gold’s net spend plummet.
The owners will be relieved that the model has worked in a bare minimum fashion with regard to keeping Wolves in the Premier League, but such might not be the case if Ait-Nouri and Cunha are not replaced.
Though Wolves are accustomed to losing key players, this isn’t a situation comparable to past instances of lucrative sales.
A graphic to show Rayan Ait-Nouri and Matheus Cunha's form over the 2024/25 season at Wolves.
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Ruben Neves’ departure was difficult, but the Old Gold replaced their former captain with Joao Gomes and Andre.
The same goes for Pedro Neto and Matheus Nunes, players who were fantastic for Wolves but did not contribute to the goals as much as hoped.
With Cunha and Ait-Nouri, the repercussions of their exits not being acted upon proactively could be catastrophic.
Signing players in the hope of success will not work; high-class talent must be lured to Molineux, which will cost.
Fosun must understand just how integral it is for the club’s future to get the summer transfer window right, as Wolves’ survival might just hang on it.