Desperately in need of defensive reinforcements, Wolverhampton Wanderers are now reportedly battling Tottenham Hotspur to sign a Championship centre-back for new manager Vitor Pereira.
Wolves transfer news
Wolves’ late 2-1 defeat against Ipswich Town sparked ugly scenes last time out, with Matheus Cunha at the centre of the unsavoury moment, before such a result proved to be the final nail in the coffin for Gary O’Neil’s Molineux reign. The former Bournemouth boss was shown the door with Wolves sat as low as 19th and five points adrift of safety in the Premier League and has since been swiftly replaced by Pereira.
Addressing fans for the first time since appointing the man tasked with keeping Wolves in the Premier League, chairman Jeff Shi told the club’s official website: “We are delighted to welcome Vitor Pereira to Wolves as the new head coach of our men’s first-team. Vitor is a highly respected and experienced coach who has achieved success across different leagues and will bring a new approach for the test ahead.
“This is a challenging moment for the club, and we want to thank Vitor for taking on this responsibility. We have full confidence in his ability to guide us back on track, alongside the players and staff, and the entire club will be united in supporting him to achieve success.”
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Now, as the January transfer window approaches, those in the Midlands could hand Pereira an instant boost. According to Caught Offside, Wolves are now battling Tottenham to sign Pascal Struijk in a deal that would need to meet Leeds United’s hefty £25m price tag in 2025.
Both clubs have had their defensive shortcomings in the current campaign, with injuries and a lack of depth in the centre-back area proving to be a real obstacle, but Wolves desperately can’t afford to miss out on such a target.
“Strong” Struijk can take Wolves to safety
It’s difficult to look back on the end of O’Neil’s reign and hand the manager all of the blame for where Wolves currently find themselves. The former boss simply wasn’t backed enough when Max Kilman departed in the summer. Left to turn towards Mario Lemina to play out of position in a back three at times, failure always seemed inevitable.
Into a new era, Wolves cannot make the same mistake. They must back Pereira and instantly welcome the defensive reinforcement that they’ve been crying out for since the summer. And that’s where Struijk could come in.
The Leeds defender has been crucial to the Whites this season, starting in every Championship game as they look to seal a return to the Premier League two seasons on from relegation. But before he gets the chance to achieve that very promotion, it’s Wolves who could hand Struijk a Premier League place.
The centre-back has found himself at the centre of praise in the current campaign, with former Leeds manager Simon Grayson telling BBC Radio Leeds following victory over Watford in October, as relayed by Inside Futbol: “He was strong and powerful, made some good blocks in there, winning his headers and he was getting free kicks.”
