Wolves manager Vitor Pereira is ready to make an impact in the January transfer window, with the Old Gold in the mix to welcome new faces.
Even before the window opened, it became clear that Wolves wanted to sign a defender in January, something that is close to being achieved.
Wolves have sealed a deal with Reims to sign Emmanuel Agbadou, with it understood that the Old Gold hope to welcome another defender after his arrival.
Pereira is doing what he can to improve the squad on the pitch and now, the club seem to be supporting the Wolves manager in the market.
Wolves interest in Richard Rios made clear
As well as arrivals, there has been discussion about potential departures, with Mario Lemina in talks to leave Wolves this month.
It’s a shock considering that the player was club captain and an integral part of the plans only weeks ago but, things can change rapidly in football.
If the Gabon international were to leave, Pereira could consider signing a new midfielder which in turn, has fuelled Wolves’ transfer interest in Richard Rios.
The Colombian, who currently represents Palmeiras in Brazil, is said to be on the Premier League club’s radar however, a fresh update from RTI Esporte has revealed the extent of interest.
While the Brazilian outlet confirms that Wolves like the player, it’s stressed that negotiations over a possible transfer have not advanced.
Palmeiras aren’t willing to part ways with the 24-year-old for less than his €100m release clause at this moment in time and want to keep Rios for the FIFA Club World Cup.
The Brazilian side could be more open to selling the talent after the tournament and RTI Esporte report that Wolves could hold off until then to negotiate.
It’s said that despite Pereira thinking Rios is a ‘good player’ and is ‘interested’ in bringing him to Molineux, a move looks far away due to Palmeiras’ demands prior to the summer tournament.
How Rios compares to Mario Lemina
A lot of Wolves’ desire to bring in a new midfielder depends on Lemina’s immediate future, as the 31-year-old is charmed by a move to Saudi Arabia.
| Richard Rios | Statistic | Mario Lemina |
| 3.36 | Tackles | 3.31 |
| 5.32 | Progressive passes | 3.04 |
| 1.19 | Interceptions | 1.82 |
| 0.88 | Key passes | 0.68 |
| 1.39 | Blocks | 0.81 |
The numbers suggest that Lemina and Rios have a similar skill set, with the difference being that the Colombian is seven years younger than the Wolves ace.
Pereira is a fan of the player and could be tempted to make contact with Palmeiras in the near future however for now, talks are rather redundant.