Talks held: Wolves could repeat Gomes masterclass with £30m “monster”
Wolverhampton Wanderers have been chucked right back into the thick of the Premier League, having lost against Arsenal in the opening game of the season, now awaiting Chelsea’s trip to Molineux on Sunday.
The forthcoming fixture will provide Pedro Neto with an early – and fleeting – homecoming after joining the Blues in a £54m deal earlier in August, with his sale potentially opening up space to make a few more signings before next weekend’s deadline.
Arsenal’s Aaron Ramsdale is being pursued to strengthen between the sticks, but Wolves might actually be keen on landing another midfielder too.
Wolves transfer news
According to TNT Sports’ Aline Nastari, Wolves are interested in signing Fluminense star Andre this month, with Manchester United also known admirers.
An official offer has not been made but talks have been held between the Old Gold and the player’s representatives, and a late-stage bid might be forthcoming.
Fulham had held a vested interest in the Brazilian for many months, though ended their pursuit after signing Sander Berge from Burnley having been dissuaded by Fluminense’s €35m (£30m) demands.
What Andre would bring to Wolves
There’s combative, and then there’s combative. Andre loves to get busy in the centre, relishes it. Hailed as a “monster” of a player by journalist Fernando Campos, he has been essential to his outfit’s success over the past few years, winning the Copa Libertadores in 2023, bringing forceful energy and high athletic distinction.
As per FBref, the sitting midfielder also ranks among the top 1% of midfielders across divisions similar to the Brasileiro Serie A for pass completion and the top 10% for passes attempted per 90. A high-class distributor, he would add to the intensity and fluency of Gary O’Neil’s system.
On that note, O’Neil triumphed with Wolves last season despite fading at the late stage, showcasing strategic versatility and ekeing every ounce of potential out of his robust midfielders: Joao Gomes and Mario Lemina, the latter of which saw his ground-covering numbers rise considerably.
Wolves are nicely stocked in the engine room but Lemina is 30 and out of contract at the end of the season (albeit with the option to extend for an additional year).
By all accounts, the 23-year-old has the talent to thrive in the Premier League, and he might even forge a deadly partnership with his tough-tackling countryman in the years to come, most certainly repeating the masterclass that was signing ‘the Pitbull’ from Flamengo for about £15m in January 2023.
Described as an “accurate & tenacious tackler” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, Gomes is more insistent upon his defensive approach than Andre, but the two could work in dynamic flux at the core of the Wolves team, blending ball-playing expertise and intense defensive security, feeding into each other’s skillset.
