In what would be one of the most interesting moves of the summer, Wolverhampton Wanderers are reportedly battling clubs in Saudi Arabia to sign a new winger who was once worth over £70m.
Wolves likely to have Cunha fee to spend
In Vitor Pereira’s first summer in charge, it seems likely that he will have the chance to welcome a number of arrivals or, at the very least, a couple of star names to replace Matheus Cunha. The Brazilian forward reportedly has a release clause worth around £63m in his current deal and has attracted the likes of Manchester United as a result.
If triggered, Wolves will receive that hefty fee before potentially turning towards the transfer market themselves. To that end, a number of names who could arrive to ease the Cunha blow have already been mentioned in recent weeks, from the likes of Samuel Lino all the way to Liverpool’s Harvey Elliott.
Pereira is certainly well aware of the quality that he’ll need to replace if Cunha does depart this summer, having told reporters after the Brazilian’s decisive display in a victory over Leicester City: “He is a special player.
“When he feels the happiness inside, when he is himself, he can create. He played a fantastic game. It shows he is committed with us, with his team-mates, with everyone.”
Wolves want "incredible" 25 y/o Atletico Madrid star who may replace Cunha
The Brazilian forward could depart this summer.
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Alas, no matter how special Cunha is, Wolves are likely to have the task of finding the heir to his Molineux throne this summer. Just who that might be remains to be seen, but that hasn’t stopped a fresh option from threatening to steal the headlines as of late.
Wolves join race to sign "great" Nicolas Pepe
According to FootMercato, Wolves are now battling clubs in Saudi Arabia to sign Nicolas Pepe from Villarreal this summer. The former Arsenal winger has shown glimpses of his quality during his time in Spain and could now find himself on his way back to the Premier League in a shock move this summer. Once worth a reported £72m when he joined the Gunners, Wolves may well land what would once be considered a bargain deal in the coming months.
That said, if Pepe is to replace Cunha, then Wolves must consider the risks. With two goals and four assists in all competitions in Spain this season, the winger still struggles for output just as he did in Arsenal colours. And that’s something which is unlikely to undergo a dramatic improvement at the age of 29 years old.
A player who skipped past Virgil van Dijk on his Arsenal debut at a time when doing exactly that was a task deemed almost impossible and a player once praised as “great” by manager Mikel Arteta, Pepe’s return to the Premier League would certainly be interesting to watch.
