Wolves are looking to kick start their 2025 with a bang, both in the transfer window and on the pitch.
Vitor Pereira has completely transformed Wolves’ fortunes in the few weeks he’s been at Molineux, securing wins over Leicester City and Manchester United along with a draw against Tottenham.
The Wanderers’ recent resurgence has seen them climb out of the relegation zone ahead of Wolves clash with Nottingham Forest on Monday night.
Pereira will be hoping to take another scalp in that game as Forest are currently third in the Premier League table under Nuno Espirito Santo.
While the Portuguese boss is focused on preparing his side for a tough challenge, the 56-year-old is also hard at work in the transfer market with one player now on the verge of signing.
Reims confirm that Wolves have agreed to sign Emmanuel Agbadou
Heading into the January window, Wolves were focused on signing two defenders at least after conceding 42 goals in just 19 games.
It was reported that Wolves’ priority signing was Kevin Danso however, a deal for another Ligue 1 star has happened swiftly.
Wolves agreed a £15m deal to sign Emmanuel Agbadou on Friday night, whose transfer to Molineux has now been confirmed by Reims club president Jean-Pierre Caillot.
“The two clubs have reached an agreement. Same thing for the player and his representatives. All he has to do is pass his medical and sign his contract,” Caillot said in French newspaper L’Union via Sport Witness.
“Emmanuel was expected to leave last summer, but Stuttgart’s offer didn’t suit us. Several clubs were interested, but Wolverhampton’s offer couldn’t be refused.”
So, it appears Wolves have beaten Bundesliga side Stuttgart to the Ivorian’s signature, with Agbadou now just needing to pass his medical and sign a contract.
Why Agbadou fits perfectly into Vitor Pereira’s system
Agbadou may be a towering figure and physical beast, standing at 6 foot 4 inches, but he’s also excellent with the ball at his feet.
The 27-year-old has made 14 appearances for Reims in Ligue 1 this term and his ball-playing attributes, described as ‘incredible’ by analyst Patrick Geraghty, have stood out.
| Emmanuel Agbadou’s ball-playing statistics (past year) | Statistics per 90 |
| Progressive passes | 5.79 |
| Progressive carries | 1.03 |
| Successful take-ons | 0.66 |
| Pass completion | 87.2% |
| Shot-creating actions | 1.66 |
Pereira, who recently deployed Matt Doherty as a centre-back, likes his defenders to be comfortable in possession while giving them the freedom to attack the lines.
Discussing what he wants from his defenders in Friday’s press conference, Pereira said: “I want to play with three defenders, not three centre-backs.
“They are different. One thing is one thing and one is another thing, because I want my defenders to have the freedom to attack the lines, to attract the opposing players and to open space for other players.
“It means that sometimes I need him open as a full-back, and at other times, closing as a centre-back or defender. I like to play with three defenders, not with a specific number of centre-backs, or I like to play with centre-backs with the quality to go in the game and attack. This is the way that I want to build my team.”