Wolves may already be about to make their first signing for the January window, but the transfer perfectly sums up Fosun in all of the wrong ways.
The Old Gold could be entering the upcoming window with survival still possible, and if Rob Edwards has turned around the Wanderers by that time, it could be the most important window in the club’s history.
Wolves will simply have to get it right, and every signing must hit the ground running from that point on.
Which position do Wolves need to prioritise in January?
The work for new signings should already be underway, and reports have linked the Old Gold to a midfielder, but it is not the most inspiring signing.
And it feels like the reasoning behind the move is one all too familiar for Fosun.
Fosun signing Xu Bin sums up how they have been running Wolves
Wolves have been linked with a move for Chinese midfielder Xu Bin. The 21-year-old currently plays for Qingdao West Coast, with Chinese outlet Titan Sports saying he is ‘heading to the UK’ to sign for Wolves.
Additionally, they state that Xu Bin will be loaned out to a European club and will not stay at the Old Gold for the remainder of this season.
While the transfer is set to come at no cost, it does have an all too familiar feel.
It presents itself as yet another way for Fosun to market themselves, rather than improving the state of Wolves’ squad.
And that could end up now backfiring for the ownership, as Sheffield Wednesday showcase how far Wolves could fall.
The general feeling from the move is that it is a way to attract Chinese viewership onto the club and not a signing to make the team better.
It is a ploy they have often done at Wolves. David Wang, Hong Wan, and He Zhenyu (also known as Dongda He) were all Chinese players bought for the club, and yet none were able to make an impact.
⚠️Xu Bin would be Fosun’s fourth Chinese signing for Wolves’ first-team.
Players to have signed from China
- David Wang
- Hong Wan
- He Zhenyu
Games for Wolves… ZERO 🤔
And frankly, most fans probably do not remember their arrival.
The transfer is one that feels like a way for Fosun to generate money and is yet another reason for fans to believe they do not care about the club itself, just weeks after putting ‘West Bromwich’ on a Wolves kit.
At this point, who can blame fans for their grievances when the most obvious marketing strategy is clear to see?
Fosun’s best marketing tactic would be for Wolves to win games
If Fosun want to increase Wolves’ appeal, the best and most obvious way is for the Old Gold to start winning games, and that would start with proper investment into the first-team.
The summer transfer window was far from ideal, and the ownership has left the Wanderers in a terrible spot.
While Vitor Pereira does take blame for leaving the club in 20th place, the issues have stemmed higher than the manager.
Wolves need fewer signings who are unlikely to ever feature for the club, and they need to start bringing in players who can make a difference.
It seems like a waste of time for the higher-ups to make these sorts of moves when the Wanderers are currently so poor.
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