Wolves are eager to bolster their attack this summer after the signing of Fer Lopez from Celta Vigo.
Vitor Pereira’s first summer signing at Wolves is here, as Lopez was unveiled as part of a £19.5m deal from Celta Vigo.
The Spaniard’s arrival is a cause for celebration at Molineux, but the hard work must not, and will not, stop there.
There are several names on the Old Gold’s radar, including Jesus Rodriguez, who has been linked to Wolves as well as Midlands rivals Aston Villa.
Wolves target Jesus Rodriguez outperformed Matheus Cunha and Pedro Neto in key statistic
Pereira made it clear he wants more one-v-one talent, eyeing a player who can restore the threat in wide areas just as Pedro Neto did before he left to sign for Chelsea.
The Wolves manager’s statement makes the Old Gold’s interest in players of Rodriguez’s profile all the more understandable, as the 19-year-old is one of Europe’s top performers when it comes to take-ons.
As per FBref data, over the past 365 days, Rodriguez ranks in the top 3% of wingers for his average of take-ons attempted per 90, where he outperformed some notable names.
| Jesus Rodriguez | Pedro Neto | Matheus Cunha | |
| Take-ons attempted | 6.80 | 4.13 | 4.75 |
| Successful take-ons | 2.43 | 1.35 | 2.11 |
As portrayed above, the 19-year-old cleared both Neto and former Wolves superstar Matheus Cunha when it came to attempted take-ons per 90, which is quite the statement.
Not only did the teenager, who is valued at £21m by Real Betis, outperform the former Wolves duo in that metric, but in successful take-ons too.
In Wolves’ recent history, there have been few ball carriers as potent as Neto and Cunha, and now, the next in line to the throne could be young Rodriguez.
Dangerous wingers are on Pereira’s radar
If there was one thing Wolves were missing last season, it was wide threat, with the majority of danger in those areas coming from fullbacks Rayan Ait-Nouri and Nelson Semedo.
Now that it’s become clear that the Old Gold will be without the pair next season, it’s back to the drawing board to identify the figures that will take the baton.
Pereira certainly wants a player to bolster the wide channels with trickery, as highlighted by the fact that Rodriguez isn’t the only player of that profile linked with a move to Molineux.
Wolves have made contact with Sao Paulo for Lucas Ferreira, another up-and-coming young talent on the wing.
It appears early into the window that the Spanish and South American markets are where Wolves are doing their homework, with a long way to go until deadline day.