Wolves sporting director Matt Hobbs has hinted at one star departing Molineux in the summer.
Wolves are enjoying an excellent season under Gary O’Neil with the club scrapping for Europe and into the quarter-finals of the FA Cup.
At the start of the campaign, when Julen Lopetegui walked out of Molineux just days before the season started, this level of success would have been unthinkable as the Wanderers were expected to be fighting against relegation.
Fast forward six months and not only has O’Neil got supporters dreaming of Europe, but he’s orchestrating some of the best football seen at the club in years and a lot of that is down to the form of Pedro Neto.
The 23-year-old has been a shining star for Wolves this term and a huge driving force behind their success having scored three goals and supplied a whopping 10 assists.
It’s a record that is made even more impressive given the Portuguese missed two months of the season through injury, but has returned in recent months in electric form and has attracted a whole host of suitors.
Matt Hobbs hints at selling Pedro Neto in the summer
With Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham all showing an interest in the £50k-a-week whiz, it has already been said that a club record bid, potentially in the region of £80 million, would be needed to prise Neto out of Molineux.
It’s a price tag that certainly matches his blistering form as the talented forward has risen to prominence as one of the best wingers in the league this term and could easily play in the Champions League.
Of course, supporters are dreading the day he leaves Molineux but most accept that could be this summer, and sporting director Matt Hobbs has hinted at selling their most prized possession.
“Essentially, every summer, I probably have to sell someone at a high value,” Hobbs told the Athletic. “The fewer I can sell to raise the money we need to spend, the stronger we will be as a club. Let’s say I want to raise £60million to invest in the next summer. If I can sell one player to do that, it’s much better than selling two or three.”
Sensible decision to sell Neto
Hobbs has revealed that he would rather sell one player to raise £60 million instead of selling multiple and while that points towards the likes of Joao Gomes and Rayan Ait-Nouri staying, it is a huge hint that the club accept Neto is going to leave in the next window.
Last summer, Wolves waved goodbye to long-serving Ruben Neves and Matheus Nunes for a combined £100 million.
And while a firesale at Molineux isn’t expected this time around, Neto is one player who looks destined to depart and cashing in on their prized asset would be a sensible decision.
It would allow O’Neil to invest in multiple areas in the squad, perhaps bringing in a new striker and goalkeeper.