It’s been a brilliant week as far as Wolves fans are concerned.
Wolves clinched a 2-0 victory over Aston Villa on Saturday evening and shortly after, Matheus Cunha signed a new contract, putting an end to any worries of him exiting Molineux before transfer deadline day.
Vitor Pereira then completed the final pieces of his business on the last day of the window as centre-back Nasser Djiga joined on a 5.5-year contract from Red Star Belgrade.
Wolves also captured Marshall Munetsi from Stade Reims on a 3.5-year deal, handing Pereira a signing in the engine room that he’d been desperately craving throughout January.
Supporters were pleased with the addition of the Zimbabwe international as Munetsi will add leadership qualities to the squad and another attribute that is comparable to Ruben Neves.
Wolves signing Marshall Munetsi could be the heir to Ruben Neves
Neves is inarguably the greatest midfielder to play for Wolves in the modern era. The Portuguese maestro combined his thunderous long-range strikes with an incredible passing range throughout his six-year stint in Wolverhampton.
The Old Gold achieved unparalleled success while he was at the club, including back-to-back stints in Europe and several enjoyable years in the top flight.
Neves left Wolves to join Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal in the summer of 2023, in what was an emotional day for the club.
Since then, they’ve struggled to replace the man who plundered 30 goals and supplied 13 assists in 253 appearances for the club, emerging as someone who could serve up outrageous pieces of quality from midfield.
The signing of Munetsi could, however, be the heir to Neves’ throne. He produced 21 goals and 14 assists in 159 games for Reims, underlining his capacity to score from midfield.
Wolves have missed such a quality since their maestro left for Saudi Arabia but his underlying numbers indicate why fans should be excited.
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How Munetsi compares to midfielders across Europe
Although predominantly a defensive midfielder, the 28-year-old is statistically comparable to Newcastle’s Joelinton and West Ham United’s Tomas Soucek, according to FBref.
This suggests he’s someone who likes to dominate in both boxes, winning aerial duels against the opposition and putting himself in dangerous positions.
| Statistics per 90 past year | Percentile rank vs midfielders across Europe |
| 0.19 non-penalty goals | Top 10% |
| 0.20 non-penalty xG | Top 5% |
| 1.71 total shots | Top 13% |
| 2.88 touches (att pen.) | Top 9% |
| 2.06 aerials won | Top 6% |
The above data is encouraging for Wolves, who have missed someone – like a Neves – who can pop up when it matters and win a game in an instant. Hopefully, Munetsi is the new hero fans will adore on the South Bank.