It was a big campaign for many of Wolverhampton Wanderers' key players. Their firepower up front and tenacity in midfield helped them to finish comfortably in 14th position in the Premier League. They were just three points behind tenth place Crystal Palace, although the Eagles did have a superior goal difference to Wolves.
In attack, the transitional football played by Gary O’Neil suited Matheus Cunha down to the ground. In all competitions, the Brazilian scored 14 goals, more than any of his teammates, as well as registering eight assists.
Cunha was the talisman for their side and was well supported by Hwang Hee-chan who scored 13 goals and assisted three, Pedro Neto who chalked up 11 assists and found the back of the net three times, and Pablo Sarabia, who got on the scoresheet four times as well as notching up ten assists.
There were also big contributions in midfield from Mario Lemina, who won Wolves’ Supporters’ Player of the Season, and Joao Gomes was a crucial component of their midfield. He played 34 times and his good performances were rewarded with his Brazil debut.
However, O’Neil will no doubt be desperate to improve his squad during the summer transfer window. They have already been linked with one player who could help to reinforce their defence.
Wolves linked with Conference League winner
The player in question here is FC Porto and Angolan centre-back David Carmo who spent the second half of last season on loan at Greek side Olympiacos, with whom he won the Europa Conference League. As a result, the defender has been linked with a move to the Premier League this summer.
According to FootballTransfers – as reported earlier this week – Wolves are one of two Premier League clubs who are interested in signing Carmo, along with newly promoted Leicester City.
There is a buy-clause in Carmo’s loan contract with Olympiacos, worth €18m (£15m), although it is not clear if they will activate this option yet. According to the report, Porto’s asking price is reportedly €12m (£10m) if Wolves are to actively seek a deal for the centre-back over the summer window.
This deal could be important for Wolves, who could be set to lose their captain Max Kilman. He is thought to be of interest to West Ham United, with former Wolves boss Julen Lopetegui hoping to reunite with Kilman for a fee of around £45m, according to the Daily Mail.
How Carmo could fit in at Wolves
With club captain Kilman potentially on his way out of Molineux, a deal for Carmo could prove to be a direct replacement for the 27-year-old. In all competitions for both Porto and Olympiacos, Carmo played 35 times, helping to keep nine clean sheets along the way.
Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig described Carmo as a "complete & dominant" asset who is “one of the most underrated young CBs in Europe”, which is certainly reflected in his stats. The in-demand talent also stacks up well against Kilman when comparing stats on FBref.
Kulig noted that Carmo has “great positioning & anticipation”, before nicknaming him “The Portuguese Wall”. This highlights he is an excellent box defender, just like Kilman. In fact, their defensive numbers are very similar. The Angolan averages 4.56 clearances per 90 minutes, compared to Kilman’s 4.79 clearances, and 1.62 blocks compared to 1.68 for Kilman.
However, Carmo has a slightly higher tackle win rate, with 80% compared to 75% for the Wolves skipper. Not only that, the Conference League champion is “extremely dominant in the air”, as Kulig described him. On average, he wins slightly more aerial duels per 90 than Kilman, with 3.68 compared to the Wolves defender’s 2.26. They are also both impressive recovery defenders, with Carmo averaging 4.56 recoveries per 90, compared to Kilman’s 4.66.
Stat (per 90)
Carmo
Kilman
Clearances
4.56
4.79
Blocks
1.62
1.68
Tackle win %
80%
75%
Aerial duels won
3.68
2.26
Ball recoveries
4.56
4.66
One area where Carmo excels over Kilman is in his progressive passing numbers. The Angola international averages 4.56 progressive passes per 90, considerably more than Kilman’s 3.08, and he also beats him when it comes to passes into the final third. Per 90, Carmo averages 5.29, but the 27-year-old Wolves man averages 2.87.
As far as a dream Kilman replacement goes, Carmo is certainly a great option for Wolves. If they do lose their captain, replacing him with an equally good box defender, who is progressive with the ball, and left-footed like the West Ham target is superb profiling.
It remains to be seen if a deal for either player goes through, but given the strength of the rumours, it would be an excellent piece of business from Wolves to replace Kilman with Carmo for such a small fee.
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