Wolves were primarily shopping in the £10-23 million price range this summer, but have garnered criticism for spending a little more on one signing.
There were some areas in the Wolves squad that were in desperate need of a new face.
Wing-backs and attackers were the most pressing, with those positions vacated at the start of summer.
Once those areas were addressed, the focus shifted to midfield and defence, and it surprised fans to see the biggest fee of Wolves’ window being spent on a centre-back.
Liam Keen thinks Wolves overpaid for Ladislav Krejci signing
Ladislav Krejci was signed from Girona for an initial £6 million loan fee, with the deal being made permanent next season for another £20 million.
Krejci is yet to appear for Wolves, so it’s very early to judge, but the price is hefty.
Speaking on the E&S Wolves podcast, Liam Keen says: “That’s a bonkers signing as far as I’m concerned and that’s not necessarily the players fault.”
£26 million is more than Wolves generally like to pay for players these days, so the surprise is understandable.
Girona got a very good price for Ladislav Krejci
Apparently, during the window, a top European club were quoted a far lower price for the Czech defender and said no.
“I think Girona are jumping for joy after getting €30 million out of this player,” says Keen. “He’s a player that, you know, not long ago was playing for Sparta Prague.
“I know they play in Europe, but again, it’s a very different league, a very different kind of scenario.”
The fee paid for Krejci may be higher than we would have liked, but he could well prove worth the money.
Judgment can be reserved for the time being, and we may even see him in action today against Newcastle.