Wolves are expected to have a busy summer, and Vitor Pereira might find that one player could save him millions in the transfer market.
A number of top stars are likely to depart Molineux this term.
Matheus Cunha has a £62.5 million release clause and the expectation is that someone will trigger that. Although his red card and antics against Bournemouth may be cause for concern for some.
Nelson Semedo is also someone who could leave Wolves, with the captain out of contract. Benfica have been linked.
And then there is Rayan Ait-Nouri, a player who is now in his fifth season at the club.
Ait-Nouri has been attracting attention from AC Milan, and other top clubs for some time now and there is just a feeling that he could be moving on in the next window.
And should that happen, Wolves may not even have to spend on a replacement.
Hugo Bueno could save Wolves millions if Rayan Ait-Nouri leaves
Bueno left Wolves to join Feyenoord on loan ahead of the 2024/25 season.
Last term, the Spaniard had struggled to start games regularly under Gary O’Neil, who was very much taken by Ait-Nouri.
O’Neil felt the sky was the limit for Ait-Nouri, leaving very little opportunity for Bueno to play.
But this term, Bueno has played regularly and really caught the eye in the Netherlands.
He’s made 22 appearances for the club so far, and laid on four assists.
It has been a productive stint for Bueno, who has also been able to get Champions League experience under his belt, making seven appearances in the competition. He’ll get the chance to play again tonight against Inter in the Round of 16.
Molineux News was recently told there’s a very good chance Wolves could make Bueno a regular next season.
And by doing that, the club could potentially save millions on their transfer budget if Ait-Nouri left the club.
Potentially, his exit could really sting. But Bueno is starting to look like a ready-made replacement. He is the ninth-highest rated player in the Feyenoord squad on WhoScored, further suggesting what a positive campaign he’s having.
Once upon a time at Wolves, he was really in favour. After breaking through in 2022/23, Julen Lopetegui hailed Bueno as ‘very professional’, tipping him to make big improvements.
Perhaps he will soon be ready to become a regular in Wolves’ team again from next season.
What Hugo Bueno has said about his Wolves future
Wolves officials must be pleased with how Bueno’s loan to Feyenoord has gone.
There will surely be lots of interest in Ait-Nouri this summer, and it does just feel like he’s been at the club long enough to perhaps seal an exit.
Bueno himself has actually had some transfer interest recently.
Bueno commented on his Wolves future in a recent interview, and it does appear that he could be thinking about the possibility of change, so Wolves may need to have some conversations.
He said: “If something happens, let it be to improve. But playing in the Champions League has changed my mentality.”