Wolves may now face competition from a fellow Midlands club in their pursuit of one target as Aston Villa eye a player wanted by Gary O’Neil.
After navigating through the 2023/24 season with limited depth, Gary O’Neil has bolstered his Wolves squad this summer, with further movement expected before deadline day.
So far, the Old Gold have welcomed Tommy Doyle, Rodrigo Gomes, Jorgen Strand Larsen and Pedro Lima as well as bidding farewell to captain Max Kilman.
While O’Neil has taken a significant step forward by recruiting the four new faces, the manager may face a difficult task when it comes to chasing one target.
Aston Villa are interested in signing Wolves transfer target Kelechi Iheanacho
O’Neil has had his wish of signing a striker at Wolves come true with the acquisition of Strand Larsen however, another player remains on the club’s radar.
Earlier this month, it was reported that Wolves are interested in Kelechi Iheanacho, who became a free agent this summer at the expiration of his contract with Leicester City.
This week, GIVEMESPORT claimed Iheanacho is a ‘top target’ for O’Neil however, the Old Gold aren’t the only Midlands club eyeing the 27-year-old.
According to BirminghamLive, Aston Villa are rumoured to want to reignite their interest in the Nigeria international, as the club in claret and blue search for a new forward.
Being a player with a significant amount of Premier League experience, it’s unsurprising that the two clubs admire the quality of Iheanacho, with a Midlands race for his signature now possibly on the cards.
Gary O’Neil should still push for Iheanacho after Jorgen Strand Larsen signing
Club legend Steve Bull wants Wolves to sign more experienced players this summer, with all of O’Neil’s 2024/25 recruits so far being under the age of 25.
Chasing Iheanacho could be the ideal move for O’Neil in a bid to make Bull’s wish come true, as the Nigerian has 196 Premier League appearances under his belt already.
Still only 27, the striker has a lot more to offer, with his potency in front of goal hard to ignore throughout his time in England.
During his time at Leicester, talent scout Jacek Kulig dubbed Iheanacho as “prolific”, as he contributed to 26 goals for the Foxes during the 2020/21 season.
Despite having acquired Strand Larsen, O’Neil mustn’t end his hunt for a striker, with the club’s options expected to shrink as Goncalo Guedes and Fabio Silva have their futures in doubt.
It’s not every day that an established goalscorer in the Premier League becomes available for free, reinforcing how hard O’Neil and Matt Hobbs should fight to beat Villa to Iheanacho.