When Jackson Tchatchoua was finally announced on Tuesday, there was a collective sigh of relief heard around Wolverhampton, but he wasn’t Wolves’ number one choice.
The right-back position needed to be addressed. Nelson Semedo left a hole in Vitor Pereira’s side when he decided to leave the club last month.
The current options, Rodrigo Gomes, Ki-Jana Hoever and Pedro Lima, all have some way to go in developing into starter-quality wing-backs. So the arrival of 23-year-old Jackson Tchatchoua was a welcome one.
Taking 3️⃣8️⃣
Get the shirt 👇
— Wolves (@Wolves) August 19, 2025
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But Wolves had another top target before the fastest player in Serie A.
Wolves wanted Anan Khalaili before Jackson Tchatchoua
20-year-old Anan Khalaili plays for Union SG in Belgium. He’s a versatile player, capable of playing at either end of the right flank and in midfield.
According to Rudy Galetti, Wolves considered him their top target in the hunt for a Semedo replacement.
🚨🔙 Backstory on Wolves: before sealing Jackson Tchatchoua, they were in talks for Anan Khalaili, seen as their top target. 🐺🎯
However, Union SG’s demands were considered too high by the English club, leading them to move for a cheaper solution. pic.twitter.com/UopeLocL0X
— Rudy Galetti (@RudyGaletti) August 19, 2025
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Khalaili made 24 league appearances for Union SG as they won the Pro League A title last season.
But the club’s demands were too high for Wolves to meet, leading them to turn their attention to the Hellas Verona star.
Jackson Tchatchoua might be a better option than Anan Khalaili
While their top target was an exciting 20-year-old with heaps of potential, his signing may have just added one more player for the future to that right-back position.
Tchatchoua, on the other hand, has already played two full seasons in a top-five European league, and at 23, his experience is more in line with what Vitor Pereira needs.
Jackson Tchatchoua of Hellas Verona competes for the ball with Nicola Zalewski
Photo by Image Photo Agency/Getty Images
If Union SG’s demands were considered too high, it’s likely they wanted a lot more than the £10 million or so accepted by Hellas Verona.
Tchatchoua is an exciting player, and one that didn’t break the bank. Hopefully, his second-choice status will be quickly forgotten about when he hits the ground running at Molineux.