Wolves are locked in a transfer battle with multiple clubs to land RC Lens centre-back Kevin Danso in the closing stages of this window.
Kevin Danso is a long-term target of Wolves, who attempted to sign him in the two previous transfer windows.
Now, after confirming the £15m capture of Emmanuel Agbadou earlier this month, the Austrian has emerged as a priority target for Vitor Pereira.
Wolves have already seen two bids rejected for Danso, one of which was £18.5m, with Danso commanding a £25m asking price.
The Old Gold are joined by multiple clubs in their pursuit of the 26-year-old, including Premier League rivals Aston Villa and Ligue 1 outfit Rennes.
It was reported on Wednesday that Rennes were confident of winning the race for Danso ahead of Wolves however, one crucial decision could have now changed their plans.
Wolves gain upper hand in Kevin Danso transfer race as Rennes sack Jorge Sampaoli
Similarly to Wolves, Rennes are currently struggling in the French top division and are third from bottom in the table.
Les Rouges were beaten 3-2 by Monaco on Saturday. It was a valiant performance from the visitors against the Champions League side but it wasn’t enough to keep Jorge Sampaoli’s job.
As reported by Fabrizio Romano on Thursday, Rennes have decided to sack the Argentine coach, who has previously managed Sevilla, Marseille and many other clubs.
It’s news that could impact Wolves, as the French side were interested in Danso when Sampaoli was in charge.
However, depending on who replaces him, the next manager could have his own targets, potentially ending their pursuit of Danso and handing Wolves the upper hand in the race.
Wolves could still struggle to land Danso
It remains to be seen whether Rennes will pull out of a deal to sign the Austrian international, though Pereira could still find it difficult to persuade him to join.
The Wanderers are fighting for their lives at the bottom of the Premier League table, making it increasingly difficult to sign players.
| Position | Team | Played MP | Won W | Drawn D | Lost L | For GF | Against GA | Diff GD | Points Pts |
| 16 |  EvertonEverton | 22 | 5 | 8 | 9 | 19 | 28 | -9 | 23 |
| 17 |  LeicesterLeicester | 23 | 4 | 5 | 14 | 25 | 49 | -24 | 17 |
| 18 |  WolvesWolves | 23 | 4 | 4 | 15 | 32 | 52 | -20 | 16 |
| 19 |  IpswichIpswich | 23 | 3 | 7 | 13 | 21 | 47 | -26 | 16 |
| 20 |  SouthamptonSouthampton | 23 | 1 | 3 | 19 | 16 | 53 | -37 | 6 |
Any potential arrivals know the risk of joining a club that could be relegated and given Danso could secure European football with Lens, it’s difficult to imagine just how Fosun, Jeff Shi and Hobbs could sell the project to him.
A highly ambitious player doesn’t want the risk of relegation in the back of his mind when he joins, with Danso outlining his willingness to play Champions League football.
So, whilst the race to sign him remains open, there are no guarantees that triggering the £25m asking price will land them their top target.