Wolves could have signed Ladislav Krejci for half the price, with a new reporting looking at the recent influence of Jorge Mendes.
As Wolves prepare for relegation, fans have been reflecting on where it’s all gone wrong for the Old Gold.
And many have concluded that poor recruitment is the single biggest reason why Wanderers will drop to the second tier after an eight-year run in the top-flight.
Wolves were in disarray last summer, and the lack of strategy, planning and seemingly competence, has proven costly.
Ladislav Krejci has actually been a good signing.
But Wolves even made a mistake on that deal, it would seem.
Wolves could have had Ladislav Krejci at half the price
Manchester City v Wolverhampton Wanderers - Premier League
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Wolves had the chance to secure Krejci at a significantly lower cost last summer, according to the E&S.
The club paid an initial loan fee to Girona to sign the Czech defender, and will commit a further £20 million this summer to sign him permanently.
So, £26 million in total. But the E&S say that ‘it is understood the player was available earlier in the window for around half of the eventual £26million Wolves will pay for him’.
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They say that agent Jorge Mendes played a big part in the Krejci deal
And it seems the Portuguese has had quite an influence again at Wolves in recent times – he also helped bring in players such as Emmanuel Agbadou and Marshall Munetsi.
Of course, Agbadou has already left the club, joining Besiktas while Munetsi left on loan to join Paris FC.
Both of these players were strongly criticised before their exits, and they are not a good reflection on Mendes.
Wolves cannot afford another costly window in the Championship
Relegation to the Championship changes the financial context immediately, and the further £20 million commitment on one Krejci may well reduce the room for error across the squad.
Every transfer now carries greater weight, as budgets tighten and revenue drops compared to Premier League levels.
Jorge Mendes at Molineux.
Photo by Sam Bagnall – AMA/Getty Images
Wolves need to be efficient and savvy this summer, and avoid repeating the same recruitment patterns. Deals structured through intermediaries must deliver value, and that has not happened often enough in recent windows.
The Krejci deal provides a clear example of what cannot happen again. Wolves simply need to be better prepared and to identify targets earlier.
Wolves must also be wary of relying on Mendes and Gestifute too heavily because his record these days is mixed at best these days.
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