Fabio Silva: I've improved at Wolves
Club-record signing Fabio Silva believes he has ‘improved a lot’ during his first year at Wolves and feels confident going into next season.
Teenage striker Silva is approaching 12 months at Molineux, having been snapped up from Porto for £35million last summer.
His first season in gold and black had its challenging moments, but the 18-year-old Portuguese chipped in with four Premier League goals in the end and is excited for the future under Bruno Lage.
“The most important thing for me is to improve, and I feel better now than when I came here. I feel I’ve improved a lot,” said Silva.
“I have done my job to help the team with my movements, work with the ball, without the ball, scoring goals.
“It’s been a good season for the first season.
“I played in the first team in Portugal, and it’s different to play in the Premier League.
“You play against centre-backs who are stronger, don’t give as much space.
“I’m better to stay with the ball and not losing it.
“I have worked at the club in the gym, and I’m a guy who loves to see where he can improve – physically, mentally, everything.
“I feel better. The games give me more confidence.
“When you play, things come naturally, the goals, the assists. You feel confident.”
Set to finally have the chance to work alongside star man Raul Jimenez next campaign as the Mexican returns from a fractured skull, Silva is a big believer in his abilities – as are Wolves.
Chairman Jeff Shi recently doubled down on his belief in the centre forward, hailing him as a ‘top player at his age in the world’ and that he is ‘at least top three, or top one, best wonderkid in the world at his age’ during the Ask Wolves series.
Silva will not be getting carried away, though.
“For me, the most important part of football is that you have to be humble,” he said.
“It’s impossible for you to forget where you come from.
“I am humble, but in the other way, I know what I can do.
“The most important thing is to be humble, but I am confident because I work every day and see what I can do.”
Silva will hope to come up with more goals in 2021/22 and could benefit from the arrival of Lage’s younger brother Luis Nascimento as part of the backroom team, which is set to be confirmed next week.
Nascimento managed Silva for Benfica Under-15s, with the forward previously hailing him as the coach who made him ‘grow the most’.
While several stars are away on international duty at the Euros, Silva is raring to return to Compton for the start of pre-season on July 5.
On what Wolves will look to achieve as a whole next term, he added: “Next season we have to wait and see what players we have.
“Every year you will see Wolverhampton do a good job.
“I know this season we go up and down, but it’s normal for a team in football. You have good and bad moments.
“It’s more important the spirit of the team. This team has an amazing spirit.
“You have to focus on this, and next season you will see.”
