Mateus Mane has done enough in the Premier League to attract attention, but leaving Wolves now would be the wrong move for his development in the eyes of Don Goodman.
Mane has caught the eye of top clubs, after enjoying a stunning breakthrough at Molineux under Rob Edwards.
The youngster gave fresh impetus to a struggling team, and was regularly the standout player, up until he started to drop off a few weeks ago.
With Wolves about to be relegated, the spotlight is surely to fall on Mateus Mane and his future again soon.
And for Don Goodman, staying with Wolves to play in the Championship is what he should be looking to do.
Don Goodman urges Mateus Mane to stay at Wolves
Goodman believes Mane should stay at Wolves, as he feels it would be better for his development.
He said (as quoted by Goal): “What I am seeing is somebody with enormous potential. What I know from inside information is that he’s grounded.
He’s got a great attitude. He wants to work hard. He wants to learn. And he wants to go as far in the game as he possibly can. So those are all fantastic commodities for a young player to have.
“Now, obviously, he’s had Premier League experience this season. If he stays at Wolves, he’s going to be in the Championship.
I have no doubt he’ll have an agent telling him that he can get him a big move this summer and so on and so forth.
“But, like all these youngsters, unless he’s going to go somewhere where he’s going to play week in, week out, there’s no question in my mind he would be better off staying with Wolves and having a season in the Championship where he can excel even more in all likelihood.
“So exciting prospect, £50 million player, not yet. Potential to be for sure.”
His reasoning is difficult to dispute.
Ultimately Mane has not been on the scene long, and there is a danger that he would be stepping up too quickly.
At Wolves, Mane has a clear pathway, and that stability is surely more valuable than a high-profile transfer at this stage.
Man United want Mane as Wolves fight to keep gem
There is no doubt that his progress has not gone unnoticed, with Manchester United’s interest in Mane already established.
Wolves are expected to stand firm, with the club set to fight to keep Mane despite that pressure.
Hopefully, given how much the club have helped him on his journey so far, Mane would look to stick around.
But relegation – which could be confirmed this weekend – inevitably creates uncertainty.
Right now Mane has momentum, and the focus should be on sustaining it rather than risking it.
He knows that if he stays put he will play every single week under Edwards, and hopefully he will place more importance on that, rather than rush into a glitzy transfer after just a few months of first-team football.
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