Wolves attacker Goncalo Guedes is close to joining Spanish side Villarreal on loan till the end of the season.
It’s been a slow start to the transfer window for Wolves so far, but the intention is there to do business, despite their financial constraints.
Gary O’Neil has said he wants to bolster his forward line with added quality and although that will be difficult to do, a loan move is the avenue that the 40-year-old is looking to go down.
Chelsea’s Armando Broja has recently emerged on their shopping list, however, it’s movement in the other direction that continues to steal the headlines.
Wolves loaned out forward Goncalo Guedes to Benfica for the second year running after signing him for £27.5 million in August 2022.
The Portuguese star went on to make 18 appearances for the club, scoring just twice before returning to Portugal temporarily.
In a switch that was supposed to inspire his career, the 27-year-old has struggled to leave his mark with zero goals scored in 14 appearances.
Guedes has subsequently forced his way out of the club and now looks set to join Villarreal for the remainder of the season.
Villarreal close in on signing of Wolves attacker Goncalo Guedes
When Wolves captured Guedes in 2022, he arrived at Molineux as one of the most exciting attackers in La Liga.
He recorded 11 goals and six assists in the 2021/22 campaign, prompting the Midlands giants to splash the cash on him.
Although it hasn’t worked out for him in England, returning to familiar territory can see him rediscover his talent as Villarreal come close to sealing a loan move.
That is according to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, who claims that Benfica have completely decided to terminate his loan deal.
Guedes is now working through the final details of the transfer and medical tests before an announcement looks imminent.
End of the road for Guedes at Wolves?
Some players struggle to adapt to the physical demands of Premier League football, and Guedes is one of those.
While he only made 13 appearances in the competition, scoring once, it’s highly unlikely he’ll get a look in from O’Neil when he returns from his latest loan.
Wolves need to recuperate as much cash as possible for him so they’ll be hoping he hits the ground running in La Liga and smashes in a few goals.
It hasn’t been said whether Villarreal have an option to buy Guedes permanently, but if he does showcase his undeniable quality in Spain, they’ll be inclined to make a deal permanent.
If that is the case, a fee south of £20 million seems reasonable for a player who is reaching the so-called peak years of his career.