Wolves are set for a busy January transfer window under Vitor Pereira.
Despite picking up seven points from a possible nine in his first three matches, Wolves’ 3-0 defeat against Nottingham Forest on Monday night revealed the need for the Portuguese tactician to bolster his squad this month.
The rumour mill is in full swing and several players have already been linked with transfers, both in and out of Molineux.
Mario Lemina could be Wolves’ first sale after being strongly linked with Al Shabab. Back-up goalkeeper Sam Johnstone is another player who could leave Wolves before February.
And while fans wait to learn the futures of the aforementioned pair, Vitor Pereira has already hinted at the type of player he wants to bring in.
Vitor Pereira drops Wolves transfer hint
Having confirmed Wolves will look to make some new signings this month, Pereira, without the help of Andre in midfield on Monday night, acknowledged his side were too often bullied off the ball.
“To play against a team like Nottingham Forest – they are a strong team, physically and we feel this on the pitch,” the Wolves boss told BBC Sport after the final whistle.
“They are very fast on the counter-attack. We had chances to score the first goal and at 1-1 and it may have been different if it was like this. With this team, every time we don’t have the balance to stop the counter-attack, they created problems. In the mistakes that we committed, they scored.”
| Stat | Wolves | Forest |
|---|---|---|
| Possession | 61% | 39% |
| Expected Goals | 1.59 | 2.13 |
| Total Shots | 13 | 11 |
| Passes | 549 | 361 |
| Tackles | 13 | 18 |
| Fouls | 10 | 8 |
| Yellow Cards | 1 | 2 |
Rightfully suggesting he needs more strength in his squad, Pereira, who is on the verge of signing 6’3″ centre-back Emmanuel Agbadou from Stade Reims, seems to be targeting even more physically-dominant players.
Who could Wolves sign in January?
Although RC Lens’ Kevin Danso was one of Pereira’s top targets, Wolves know the defender will not be making the move to Molineux after he rejected the opportunity. Atalanta’s Ben Godfrey was also linked with a Wolves switch before he agreed to join Ipswich Town — so who could join?
Sean Longstaff
Clearly in need of bolstering his midfield options, Pereira is reportedly a fan of Newcastle United’s Sean Longstaff. The hard-working Toon academy graduate is best known for his industrious style of play in the middle of the pitch, therefore, Longstaff’s high energy and physicality certainly fits the type of player Pereira is looking for.
Japhet Tanganga
Millwall centre-back Japhet Tanganga is another player also linked with a move to Molineux.
The former Spurs defender, boasting top-flight experience, is a defensive option and a player that would surely jump at the chance to return to the Premier League.
Joel Ordonez
Wolves have also registered their interest in Joel Ordonez of Club Brugge.
The 20-year-old defender, who, like Godfrey, can play at centre-back and full-back, has also been linked with other top clubs, including Liverpool, so for Wolves to win the race, they’ll have to fend off some strong competition.