Wolverhampton Wanderers are certainly building something this summer as Gary O’Neil has made a few signings who could become a big part of the club’s future.
The likes of Pedro Lima, Rodrigo Gomes and Tommy Doyle have joined permanently, while striker Jorgen Strand Larsen has arrived on a season-long loan deal from Celta Vigo.
The building blocks are in place. Now it is time for a few more players to join ahead of the Premier League season.
Wolves target move for Ligue 1 sensation
According to a report from French outlet Foot Mercato earlier this week, Wolves are believed to be showing interest in a move for Lyon defender Jake O’Brien this summer.
Brentford looks like they have potentially struck the first blow, however, as the Premier League side look to have made contact already with the Ligue 1 side, asking about his availability.
No transfer fee is mentioned in the report, although the Irish centre-back does have a contract at Lyon until the summer of 2027, having just signed for them last summer.
The club have had success in the last few years with deals from the French top flight. Could O’Brien be another excellent signing?
Wolves can repeat their Ait-Nouri masterclass
The Old Gold signed Rayan Ait-Nouri from French outfit Angers in September 2020, initially on a season-long loan deal, before he joined on a permanent basis in 2021.
Following the end of last term, the Algerian left-back had made 116 appearances for the club, scoring seven goals and grabbing eight assists in the process. His performances of late have attracted attention from the likes of Liverpool, who appear ready to make a bid for the player.
Indeed, Ait-Nouri has a release clause that stands at around £38m, which means the club could seal a solid profit on the player.
O’Brien could have a similar sort of impact should he also make the move to the Midlands from France this summer. The 6 foot 5 titan made 32 appearances for Lyon last term, scoring five goals in all competitions – a tally that was even ahead of key man Pedro Neto, with the winger scoring just three times across all fronts.
Goals
4
Assists
2
Accurate passes per game
46.2
Accurate long balls per game
3.4
Tackles per game
0.8
Total duels won per game
3.1
Possession lost per game
6.8
Clean sheets
7
When compared to his positional peers, O’Brien’s attacking qualities stood out as he ranked in the top 4% for non-penalty goals and in the top 10% for assists per 90 across Europe’s big five leagues.
Not only a more 'prolific' presence than Neto, defensively the towering titan was also excellent for his current side last term, winning 3.1 total duels per game – a success rate of 61% – losing possession just 6.8 times each match and recovering 4.7 balls per game in Ligue 1.
It is no surprise then that plaudits have flooded his way, with writer Zach Lowy subsequently lauding the youngster earlier this year on X, describing him as a "revelation" amid his fine start to life in his new surroundings…
With Max Kilman leaving the club recently, there is certainly a space for another centre-back. O’Brien has proven he can excel in one of Europe’s top five leagues.
Will Wolves win the race to sign the centre-back this summer? Only time will tell.
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ByRoss KilvingtonJul 24, 2024