Wolverhampton Wanderers have held talks over a potential January move for a new midfielder, according to a new report.
Wolves latest news
Things are looking up for Wolves at the minute. Since the appointment of Vitor Pereira as the club’s new manager in mid-December, Wolves have seen a great improvement in both their performances and results.
Not only have Pereira’s side beaten both Leicester City and Manchester United, they’ve also drawn with Tottenham Hotspur and are now, for the first time since early November, outside the Premier League relegation zone.
Perhaps even better news is that the club has, according to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, convinced forward Matheus Cunha to commit his long-term future to Wolves, despite interest from a host of the Premier League’s biggest clubs, including Arsenal and Manchester United.
Cunha has been Wolves’ star player this season, scoring 10 goals and registering four assists in 19 games. After Wolves’ 2-0 win over United, Pereira said of the Brazil international: “He is a special player. He can do things that can make the difference in small details.
“Matheus Cunha is a player, in my opinion, who can reach high standards in this league. I hope not [elsewhere] because we need him.”
Wolves hold talks with Rios
As well as securing the long-term services of Cunha, Wolves are also looking at bolstering their squad from the outside in the January transfer market. One man the club reportedly has their eye on is Palmeiras midfielder Richard Rios.
According to RTI Esporte, per Sport Witness, Wolves have recently held talks with Rios’ agent about a move to Molineux, and there is a “real possibility” that the Colombia international could make a switch to the Premier League in the near future.
Rios is understood to be a priority target for Pereira, with the Wolves boss personally keen, but he will face competition from Fulham, as well as clubs from France, Spain and Italy, to land him.
Palmeiras have claimed they will only sell Rios in January if his £83 million clause is activated, which would be beyond Wolves’ reach. RTI Esporte, however, claim that the Brazilian club could be bluffing, and that Wolves may agree a deal with Palmeiras for just £16.6 million plus bonuses, with Rios possibly arriving in the summer.
Rios has been described by South American football expert Ben Mattinson as a “ball-carrying machine.”
“When he gets the ball from deep, he brings it up the field with purpose and can eat up a lot of ground in a short space of time. His long legs allows him to open his stride and power away from defenders in no time,” Mattinson wrote on X.