Wolves suffered a huge blow on the transfer front as on the home straight, Atletico Madrid hijacked Marc Pubill’s transfer.
Pubill was Wolves’ idea of a Nelson Semedo replacement after the 22-year-old put together an impressive campaign with Almeria last term.
Things weren’t meant to be, and Vitor Pereira’s search goes on, with Pubill set to sign for Atletico Madrid.
Aside from Diego Simeone’s side being able to offer the Spaniard Champions League football in a high-calibre team, there was another element of the deal that left Wolves stranded.
Marc Pubill never wanted to leave Spain to sign for Wolves
Wolves were so close to signing Pubill, with everything agreed for the defender to make the move to Molineux.
In a last-ditch swoop, Atletico saw the potential to snatch the fullback from the Old Gold’s grasp, surely knowing that they’d win the race.
Spanish outlet Marca have revealed that despite all-but-agreeing a deal with Wolves, Pubill never wanted to leave Spain, giving Atletico an easy win for his transfer.
Marca informed that Pubill’s ‘desire’ was always to stay in Spain, with Barcelona and Real Betis taking a look at the player before talks with Wolves advanced.
Once Atletico entered negotiations strongly, a deal was completed in a ‘matter of hours’, granting the defender’s wish to stay in his homeland.
Atletico arrived on the scene with the power of offering Pubill the chance to play in the Spanish top-tier and the Champions League, rapidly diverting his plans from the West Midlands to Madrid.
Another Wolves transfer hijacked
It’s a real blow for Wolves who will be eager to get a replacement for Semedo on board promptly.
Unfortunately, the feeling of a transfer being hijacked in the final stages isn’t a feeling that Wolves are unfamiliar with.
In January, Pereira was about to sign Manu Silva to bolster his midfield, but in the dying embers of negotiations, the 24-year-old signed for Benfica.
Silva joined Bruno Lage at Benfica instead of making the move to Wolves, setting Pereira’s transfer plans back, which has been repeated this summer.
The hunt continues to replace Semedo, but in the case of Pubill, it’s fair to say that once Atletico showed their face, Wolves didn’t stand a chance.