As Tommy Doyle heads to the exit at Wolves, the Old Gold have been provided with encouraging feedback about his possible replacement.
After signing for Wolves permanently last summer as part of a £4.3m deal from Manchester City, the English midfielder will be on the move again.
Vitor Pereira doesn’t see a future for Doyle in his system at Molineux, with all signs now pointing to the exit door.
Wolves will need to sign a new midfielder to bolster the position once the 23-year-old has departed, and fortunately, it appears that the West Midlands club are acting proactively.
Nico Raskin is exactly what Wolves are looking for
Wolves have been linked to Nico Raskin of Rangers as a possible option to replenish the depth in central midfield.
With Doyle and Boubacar Traore expected to leave this summer, Pereira needs options to support the trusted pivot of Joao Gomes and Andre.
What better way to do so than to sign Raskin, who is similar to Gomes in his tenacious style of play.
Aside from being a top central midfielder, the Belgian has two other strengths that Wolves are crying out for, as his former manager confirmed.
Speaking to Voetbal Nieuws, former Rangers boss Philippe Clement noted that Raskin is not only Premier League-ready, but is also a candidate to be a captain.
“He’s ready. I’m convinced Nico would fit perfectly in the Premier League. I’m not saying he would be in a top-six team now. But just below that, so he can calmly adapt to the level.
“Make no mistake: Nico has a lot of room to grow. He has to make the right choice now. And if he leaves and gets enough playing time at his new club, he will only get better. I would put my hand in the fire for that.”
Clement spoke highly of the ‘character’ that Raskin is, handing the midfielder the armband during their time together at Rangers.
“He’s a character. I worked with him intensively for a year at Rangers. Nico wants to know everything, gets into discussions and has his own opinion. But if you communicate and argue clearly, there’s no problem at all.
“I like players with an opinion. I didn’t just give him the captain’s armband for nothing. That way, he could grow as a footballer and take on more responsibility.”
The review might turn Pereira’s head, as the boss will need to identify a new captain and is in need of a combative Premier League-proven midfielder, something that Doyle has been unable to prove he has in his locker at this moment in time.
Wolves plan Tommy Doyle’s exit
Pereira has suggested that Doyle isn’t good enough for Wolves, which is a tough pill for the 23-year-old to swallow so soon after making his move permanent.
Reports that the Manchester City academy graduate will leave come as no surprise as a result, as journalist Liam Keen shared the expectation that Doyle will definitely leave in some capacity.
Wolves would prefer to send the midfielder on loan rather than to let him go permanently, as a sale would represent a pointless transaction with a nod to the club’s finances.
Man City would earn 50% of any profit the Old Gold make on Doyle, which would amount to peanuts considering he was purchased for less than £5m.
Where the Englishman ventures next remains a mystery, but what is certain is that he will be on his way out.