Wolves have faced criticism for their failures in the transfer window but they’ve made up for their shortcomings by striking gold on numerous occasions.
For instance, Wolves signed Pedro Neto for £18 million in 2019. The Portuguese winger arrived as a relatively unknown quantity but he soon transformed into a superstar, pocketing the club £54 million in the summer following his move to Chelsea.
Neto isn’t the only example of the Wanderers striking gold, as Wolves captured wing-back Rayan Ait-Nouri for £10 million in 2021.
Ait-Nouri’s value is now at least £40 million, with Liverpool and Chelsea both chasing the 23-year-old ahead of January.
Aside from the Algerian international, many would agree that forward Matheus Cunha is Wolves’ most valuable player.
The Brazilian has carried his side through the mire this term with five goals and two assists, although it’s someone else who has been rated as Gary O’Neil’s most valuable asset.
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£50 million-rated Joao Gomes is Wolves most valuable player
It will be a shock to most that Cunha doesn’t hold the highest value in O’Neil’s squad but it’s also hard to disagree that midfielder Joao Gomes is up there.
Wolves struck gold when they signed Gomes for £15 million from Flamengo at the start of 2023, and he’s since blossomed into one of Europe’s best defensive midfielders.
Gomes has attracted interest from several European clubs as a result and the Wanderers could struggle to hold onto him in 2025, especially if they continue to battle against relegation.
The Brazilian international is easily one of their most crucial players and he’s shown that with his recent displays, scoring in the 2-2 draw against Crystal Palace.
Wolves will hope they can hold onto him for the long-term but in the event they don’t, CIES Football Observatory values him at between £37 million and £50 million (€45m – €61m).
The transfer value tool has only included his name on the list from O’Neil’s squad, so they regard him as the highest-rated player at Molineux.
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What transfer fee Wolves actually want for Joao Gomes
In the summer, Manchester United showed an interest in Gomes but they instead signed Manuel Ugarte from Sporting Lisbon.
Wolves weren’t willing to sell another one of their star players, especially after Neto joined Chelsea and Max Kilman made the switch to West Ham.
One report suggested that Wolves wanted at least £60 million for Gomes, and that is slightly more than his value on CIES.
Given he’s only 23 and still yet to grow into his full potential, successfully holding onto the midfield powerhouse could see his value skyrocket even further, although that depends on where Wolves finish.
Relegation to the Championship could see clubs sign him for a cut-price deal next summer and that is an outcome the Old Gold must avoid at all costs.