It is now only a matter of time until Wolves sign Ladislav Krejci.
After a few days of uncertainty, Krejci to Wolves is now very much on, with the player flying to England for his medical.
The Czech Republic international is set to complete a £26 million move to the club from Girona, and he is on track to become the club’s most expensive centre-back signing ever.
Krejci is a left-sided defender, and will be someone who can provide cover and competition for Toti Gomes.
Vitor Pereira had wanted someone for that position, and the hope now is that he can hit the ground running as soon as possible.
While on the face of it Toti may have some competition on his hands, there is actually another player who may be the biggest loser of this particular deal.
Matt Doherty could lose starting berth to Ladislav Krejci
One of the big surprises last season was the emergence of Matt Doherty as a right-sided centre-back.
Pereira arrived and used Doherty inside, with Nelson Semedo at right wing-back.
And to his credit, Doherty did a pretty decent job. He did have some outings in the beginning where he did not look overly comfortable. But he grew into the role, and he certainly gained his manager’s trust.
Pereira praised Doherty’s personality and character at one point, and he definitely played a solid part in Wolves’ defensive improvement and navigation away from the relegation zone.
But his place in the team could now be in jeopardy.
Wolves are committing a lot of money to signing Krejci. At £26 million, he is surely going to be someone Pereira turns to from the off, and uses regularly.
While he hasn’t started the new season well, Toti has just been made captain, and we’ve previously heard Pereira talk about how good Toti is for the balance of the side.
It feels unlikely he’ll immediately make way for Krejci. The E&S also suggest as such.
Emmanuel Agbadou is still a certain starter, despite his poor performances so far this term and pre-season, and one would imagine he’ll move over to the right to accommodate Krejci.
When he first arrived at Wolves he played a few games in Toti’s position, and demonstrated good speed and athleticism to get out and defend the wide areas if needed. So he could do that on the opposite side, in Doherty’s position.
So Krejci’s arrival could push Doherty out of the backline. That may be harsh, but it’s surely got to be a possibility.
Doherty will still have key role to play for Wolves
So there’s a chance Doherty’s minutes will be drying up this season with the arrival of Krejci.
However, the Republic of Ireland international will still be key.
| Matt Doherty for Wolves last season |
| Appearances – 35 |
| Minutes played – 2413 |
Doherty is one of four players in the leadership group at Wolves this season and his experience and the respect he has from others in the dressing room will count for a lot.
But the versatility he provides will likely mean he still plays a fair bit, especially since we know Pereira likes what he’s about.
It’s just that regular starts may now be doubtful, as the money being spent on Krejci surely points to him coming straight in and starting.