Wolves targeting more Deadline Day deals
Boss Gary O’Neil is hopeful Wolves still have some unfinished business in the transfer window ahead of tonight’s deadline – despite fresh additions yesterday.
There was a flavour of South America as two new faces checked into Molineux yesterday in the form of Paraguayan winger Enso Gonzalez and Santiago Bueno, a central defender from Uruguay.
Gonzalez penned a six-year deal, with the option of a seventh, after signing from Libertad in his homeland for £5million and Bueno checked in from Girona in Spain for £8.5m on a five-year contract, with the option of another 12 months.
A Wolves club-record sale of £53m is also set to be confirmed as wantaway midfielder Matheus Nunes underwent a medical at Manchester City – with City academy product Tommy Doyle heading to Molineux on a season-long loan and £5m option to buy.
Busy boss O’Neil, who is also preparing his troops for Sunday’s trip to Crystal Palace, hinted at more before 11pm tonight with Wolves exploring a deal for Fulham midfielder Harrison Reed and linked with a loan for Southampton striker Che Adams.
“I’m hopeful we can do some more,” O’Neil said. “Enso has arrived, he’s a talent and very young coming from South America, there will be some adaptation, but I’m sure he can impact how productive we are in the final third.
“And then another few areas, I don’t to give too much away, some areas that hopefully we can still strengthen between now and the closing of the window.”
O’Neil added of the imminent arrival of England’s European under-21 Championship winner Doyle, who is grandson of City heroes Mike Doyle and Glyn Pardoe: “He had a really good season last year at Sheffield United, he’s a talented boy and well-educated football-wise coming through the Manchester City academy.
“He’ll help us with the structure and how we try to play, we’ve been a little bit short in central midfield with the injury to Hodgy too. It gives us another number and brings some quality, something a little bit different.
“Competition for places is key, adding quality to affect games at this level for now and the future.
“Some 21-year-olds who haven’t been on the same journey as Tommy might find that (Crystal Palace on Sunday) a huge step-up, but I know Tommy would be able to handle it and the occasion of playing in the Premier League.
“And it goes without saying his quality, and what he is as a person, how he’s willing to work and sacrifice himself for the team. He’s a good human being, with good quality and elite experience for his age.”
Midfielder Joe Hodge, 20, is predicted to spend around three or four weeks on the sidelines with the injury picked up against Blackpool.
O’Neil admitted, were he a player in Nunes’ shoes, he would have handled the situation differently after the midfielder, who had been on strike to force through the move, was granted his wish to join City as Wolves negotiated a bigger fee.
He added: “The situation is resolved, or all-but resolved because he’s signing for Manchester City, if he’d have rejoined the group I’d have told him how I felt.
“Whenever I dealt with him before the interest he was a great lad, worked hard and wanted to do his best for the club, and then obviously a big club came calling.
“You understand that players would like to play for Manchester City. Would I have dealt with it in the same way? I wouldn’t. But I’d rather save those conversations for private.”
