Few could have imagined the impact Mario Lemina would have on Wolves when he signed for the club in January.
He came in as the club’s second signing of the window, for a reported £10 million.
In all honesty, his signing was quite low key. This was a player coming in, having not really pulled up too many trees when he last played in the Premier League.
Compared to the likes of Matheus Cunha, Pablo Sarabia and Joao Gomes, he was not really a ‘glamorous’ name.
But fast forward a few months, and Lemina is now the darling of Molineux.
He very quickly broke into Wolves’ midfield and has become a must-pick for Julen Lopetegui.
His performance in the 3-0 Premier League win over Liverpool was seriously impressive. It led to Dave Edwards branding him ‘formidable’ after the game.
Quite simply, Lemina is the player Wolves have needed for years.
It has been a joy watching Ruben Neves and Joao Moutinho in the middle of the park in the Premier League.
The Portuguese pair have provided fans with some amazing memories, and there is no doubt they are both class acts.
But there have been occasions since Wolves’ promotion back to the top-flight where it has just felt as though the midfield needed something more. A bit of bite, a bit of tenacity.
Neves and Moutinho are two wonderful technicians. But neither are particularly athletic, mobile or aggressive.
Lemina is all of these things, and actually also quite technical himself too to be fair. And what a difference he has made for Wolves.
The Gabon international has come back to English football perhaps with a point to prove.
The feeling with him at Southampton was that he was a very gifted player. But there were question marks over his mentality.
Journalist Liam Keen said recently that Lemina has matured a lot as he has gotten older.
According to him, he is now much more mature and is a very popular individual in the dressing room and a big personality.
This personal growth has clearly helped Lemina impose himself at the club. And his signing is undoubtedly one of the bargains of the season.
Wolves have need a player like Mario Lemina for years
It is great watching technical players elegantly go about their work. Watching a game that’s easy on the eye is always nice.
But every now and then, you need a midfield general.
Lemina is a warrior. The energy and physicality he brings makes Wolves so much more competitive and therefore better.
Wolves have had physicality in a midfielder in the form of Leander Dendoncker before.
But the Belgian was nowhere near as good a ball-winner as Lemina, and not as athletic.
He is the player that has been needed at Molineux for years. Wolves finally landed Lemina in January, and his addition genuinely makes the prospect of life without Neves and Moutinho bearable.