Wolves have had some top quality players over the years, but Newcastle’s Bruno Guimaraes believes a former Molineux man is now one of the best in the world.
Having world-class talent at Wolves would no doubt be a welcome addition, but the position the Old Gold are in makes it hard to keep them.
Matheus Cunha and Rayan Ait Nouri are recent examples of players who have made big money moves away after showcasing their quality at Molineux.
However, there was one player whom Wolves let slip away after a fairly mediocre loan spell at the club, and that is PSG’s Vitinha.
The Old Gold rejected the chance to sign Vitinha permanently, and that may still be a decision that haunts those at Molineux, particularly after this recent claim by Guimaraes.
Bruno Guimaraes says former Wolves player Vitinha is among the top four best players in the world
Ahead of Newcastle’s Champions League matchup against Barcelona, Bruno Guimaraes sat down with the media to answer questions.
Guimaraes had previously named Barcelona’s Raphinha in the top five in the world, and was asked who the other four were.
The Brazilian midfielder then selected former Wolves player Vitinha as one of the four best players in the world.
Vitinha spent just one season on loan at Wolves during 2020/2021, making 22 appearances for the Old Gold. He then made a £36 million move to PSG in the summer of 2022.
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At the French giants he has won multiple league titles, and most recently won the Champions League while being a key player under Luis Enrique.
The Portuguese player tips himself to win this year’s Ballon d’Or, and those at Molineux might be left scratching their heads at letting such a talent slip from their grasp.
Wolves were correct to let Vitinha go, even in hindsight
The PSG man has gone from strength to strength ever since his short spell in England five years ago.
His time at Molineux was far from the standards he is setting now. He started just eight games across the whole of the 2020/2021 campaign, and he struggled to adapt to the league’s intensity.
There will no doubt be many at Wolves who are thinking about the ‘what ifs’ had they decided to move ahead with a £17 million move for the midfielder following his loan.
But at the time, it was the sensible choice to reject signing him.
Vitinha was still just a 20-year-old midfielder, and after struggling during his loan spell, spending that amount of money on him would have been a major risk.
Additionally, the 25-year-old may not have turned out to be the world-class player he is now had he stayed in England.
Hindsight suggests Wolves made a mistake, but in reality, they were smart to let the player thrive somewhere else.