Wolves have conceded a lot of goals in the 2024/25 season – but Vitor Pereira has a player who can give the team a huge defensive boost next term.
It has been a very turbulent campaign for Wanderers, who are just about heading in the right direction now.
Under Gary O’Neil, Wolves seriously struggled. And he was finally relieved of his duties after defeat to Ipswich town at Molineux in December.
Vitor Pereira then came in, and Wolves do look a much better outfit.
Crucially, Pereira has managed to stop Wolves conceding at the same rate they were under O’Neil.
So far, he’s overseen five clean sheets to O’Neil’s two, and the hope is that there will generally be more defensive solidity in 2025/26.
And there is one player who’s rather been forgotten about at Wolves who can really help Pereira to achieve that.
Yerson Mosquera could be last piece of the puzzle for Wolves’ defence
There was huge excitement within the fanbase when it became clear Mosquera would become a starting centre-back for Wolves in 2024/25.
There had been some speculation that Villarreal had wanted to re-sign Mosquera after his loan there.
But O’Neil reintegrated him, and he was arguably one of Wolves’ brightest sparks in those early weeks of the new season, despite the struggles of the team.
Mosquera didn’t give the impression he was only just making his way in the Premier League, and looked to relish the physicality of the English top-flight.
It was a major shame he then picked up a season-ending knee injury against Aston Villa, and who knows how different Wolves’ season might have been had that never happened.
Since Mosquera has been out of the team, Emmanuel Agbadou has come in and made a huge impact.
The Ivorian has helped the backline look far more assured, and Toti Gomes has also looked brilliant to his left.
Matt Doherty has also done really well on the right. But perhaps the Irishman is the most at risk of dropping out of the starting XI for next season as Pereira looks to strengthen.
Mosquera beats Doherty in several defensive metrics such as ball recoveries per 90, tackles per 90 and duels won per 90, indicating the Colombian would bring just a bit more steel to the backline.
Mosquera slotting in with Agbadou and Toti really has the potential to make Wolves’ backline look formidable again.
Wolves like Mosquera’s aggression, and this trait along with his athleticism – which Agbadou and Toti have too – could make Wolves fearsome at the back one again.
Last season, Mosquera was described as ‘an elite talent’ by his head coach at FC Cincinnati Pat Noonan (via The Athletic). So as well as Doherty has done, there will surely be an appetite to get Mosquera back into the team as soon as possible.
How Yerson Mosquera’s recovery from injury is going
It was a terrible blow when Mosquera suffered his knee injury against Aston Villa.
Scans indicated that he had damaged both his ACL and MCL, and the suggestion was that he would not play again this season.
Mosquera spoke bout his recovery from injury in January, stating that his recovery was going ‘really well’ and that club doctors had told him good things.
He said he had been in the gym, and the likelihood is that Mosquera will be ready for the start of next season.
Of course, Mosquera was left out of Wolves’ updated Premier League squad so can’t play for the first-team in any of the final nine games.