Although Gary O’Neil’s future at Molineux is far from guaranteed, the Englishman will be making plans for the coming window, and one position is a top priority.
After giving up a league-high 38 goals in just 15 games this season, Wolves will sign a center-back in January.
The Old Gold’s defensive weaknesses were revealed after they were unable to find a replacement for Max Kilman, and the only way to address that problem would be to sign a top defender.
In light of this, Wolves ought to sign a Manchester United player who might be available for a low price next month.
Wolves should sign Manchester United defender Victor Lindelof
Wolves need a player who can become an instant starter at Molineux and slot superbly into O’Neil’s back three.
The preference is someone with experience of playing at the highest level, and Man United star Victor Lindelof ticks that box.
Wolves naming Nelson Semedo as captain exposes another glaring problem for Gary O’Neil – opinion
Lindelof is surplus to requirements at Old Trafford after playing just 58 minutes of league action this term, with Ruben Amorim now looking to offload him and Christian Eriksen in January.
The Swedish international, who has won the FA Cup and Carabao Cup at United, sees his contract expire in 2025 and that is a huge bonus to O’Neil.
Wolves are, of course, reluctant to spend money under Fosun, so landing the talented 30-year-old at a cut price could be a bargain.
Further, the ball-playing defender has posted some impressive metrics in the past year, ranking in the top 1% of centre-backs across Europe for aerials won, and the top 5% for clearances.
Lindelof has also displayed excellent with the ball at his feet, placing in the top 5% for pass completion, and that is a pleasing attribute for O’Neil to see.
The only issue with the Man United star is his wages, as he currently earns £120,000-per-week and that would make him the highest earner at Wolves.
What Jose Mourinho once said about Lindelof
Lindelof could be the missing piece in the puzzle at Molineux, who could help them secure their status in the Premier League for another season.
The 70-cap international has also been highly thought of at Old Trafford, and during Jose Mourinho’s tenure in charge, the Portuguese tactician waxed lyrical over him.
Speaking after United’s win over Watford in November 2017, Mourinho praised Lindelof for how he dealt with forward Richarlison, labelling him as ‘very fast’ and praising his ‘agility’, something Wolves currently lack.
“I think Richarlison is a very good player and a difficult player to play against but Victor is very fast,” Mourinho said per Sky Sports.
“He has adapted to play centrally but also to go to the sides because he’s got the agility that many of the central defenders don’t have. I think it was another very positive performance by Victor.”
Lindelof is at an age now where he needs to be playing regular first-team football and while that isn’t available at Man United, signing for Wolves could see him become a star.
Lemina’s bust-up with Jarrod Bowen led to him taking his anger out on his Wolves teammates while he even squared up to first-team coach Shaun Derry.
The 31-year-old’s actions had consequences, and Gary O’Neil’s conversation with Lemina went surprisingly well, as he felt happy enough to step down.
The problem wasn’t stripping the Gabon of his captaincy but naming his successor as Nelson Semedo exposed another problem O’Neil has at Molineux.
Gary O’Neil has a lack of leaders in his Wolves squad
Despite the fact that the majority of the fan base questioned the selection, Lemina congratulated Semedo on being appointed the new captain.
Although Wolves wants to offer Semedo a new contract, the Portuguese star wasn’t many people’s first pick to take over, and neither were the majority of the players. The 31-year-old right-back’s contract expires in 2025.
Craig Dawson appeared to be the most likely replacement, but as he gets closer to turning 35, his play is deteriorating, and his contract ends in the summer.
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