Wolves’ transfers so far this summer have focused on players who have never set foot in the Premier League
While signing outside talent can always be advantageous, there is often a bedding-in period for those new to English football, and signing proven players can have more impact early on.
The likes of Jhon Arias and Fer Lopez were deemed not ready to start by Vitor Pereira due to this, with only David Moller Wolfe starting out of the new arrivals.
With Vitor Pereira confirming three or four players could be signed, Fosun’s targets could now be impacted by a Premier League rule.
Fosun either need to sell or sign homegrown players for Wolves this summer
Wolves will either have to sell members of their first-team squad or sign homegrown players when trying to boost the quality of their options this summer.
The Premier League rules state that in a 25-man squad, you are only allowed to have 17 foreign players, and that players under the age of 21 do not count towards the squad list.
At the moment, Wolves have 26 first-team members as part of their first-team squad, with only six of those counting as homegrown.
The list of homegrown players includes:
- Dan Bentley
- Sam Johnstone
- Matt Doherty
- Ki-Jana Hoever
- Tawanda Chirewa
- Fábio Silva
They also currently have 16 non-homegrown players, and with the signing of Jackson Tchatchoua, it will bring them to that 17-player limit.
This means if Wolves want to register a full 25-man squad, they still need to add two homegrown players to their squad.
Pedro Lima, Enso González and Mateus Mane are also listed as first-team players but won’t be counted as part of the 25-man register due to being under 21.
Fabio Silva is attracting interest elsewhere, so if Wolves want to sign a replacement, it would need to be a player who can take his spot for the quota.
Homegrown quota rule could help Wolves in the transfer market
While the homegrown quota means Wolves’ options in the market become limited, it could also be a major benefit.
Wolves have lost many Premier League-experienced players this summer and are desperate for signings who already know the intensity of English football.
The Old Gold being close to the quota could mean Fosun look closer to home, and that will be extremely good news for Vitor Pereira.
The arrival of Premier League-ready acquisitions will provide a much-needed boost for the Portuguese manager.
Wolves were interested in Ben Doak, showcasing they are looking for those kinds of players, but whether they can get any deals over the line remains to be seen.