The Athletic’s Wolves correspondent Tim Spiers was asked about Fabio Silva’s situation at Molineux on the Kelly and Wrighty Show this week.
Silva has improved recently and that has apparently made Wolves change their minds regarding their plan to loan him out during the January transfer window.
But Spiers has suggested that it could be years before we see the best of Silva, suggesting he will be a later developer.
When asked about Silva, he said: “They were close to sending him out on loan in January and then he got ten minutes at Man United and did really well.
“Then he followed that up with more good performances but a loan would have been a real risk. If he’d gone out on loan and scored one or two goals in 10-15 matches, you’re thinking ‘where does this kid go from here?’
“He’s not going to be a superstar aged 19. He needs to bulk up. He’s not an 18-year-old winger who will shine, he needs to develop.
“I don’t think we’ll see the kind of player he’s going to be until 22 or 23. Raul Jimenez was nowhere in his career at that age, he only came to the fore at 27 when he joined Wolves.
“It could be the same for Silva. There is a good player in there. His positioning in the box is exceptional. From what you hear from people at the club, he’s not a mature 19-year-old ready to play in the Premier League week in week out so it’s an interesting deal.”
The other thing which adds even more pressure on Silva is imagining the tantalising prospect of Wolves having £35 million to spend on a striker at this stage.
The possibilities would be sensational; they could sign someone to take the strain off Raul Jimenez and they really needed that last season too.
That money could also go on an elite central defender or playmaker, and that adds to the frustration around Silva when of course he really needs patience.
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