Wolverhampton Wanderers could once again lose several of their key players this summer, and the transfer window could decimate their squad. Last summer, it was not easy for Gary O’Neil, losing two of his best midfielders before the end of the transfer window.
Ruben Neves departed Molineux for Saudi side Al Hilal for £47m, which was, at the time, a club record sale for the Midlands side. However, that record was smashed just weeks later when Matheus Nunes left the club for £53m, joining Wolves’ Premier League rivals Manchester City.
This summer, O’Neil could face more of his big stars leaving, after a successful campaign in 2023/24.
Electric winger Pedro Neto could be in line to depart the club, with rumours flying around that Tottenham want to sign the Portugal international for £60m. Luckily for the Midlands club, Joao Gomes seems set to stay, as per GIVEMESPORT. Like Neto, it would take a fee of £60m to sell the midfielder this summer, but he is happy to stay.
One sale that has already gone through saw captain Max Kilman depart the club, and join West Ham for £40m. The club now need to sign a replacement and are eyeing up another Premier League star to fill the boots of the departed captain.
Wolves want Premier League defender
The player in question here is Nottingham Forest and Brazil defender Murillo. It was an impressive debut season for the centre-back in English football, and he has now been linked with a move away from the City Ground this summer.
At least, this is according to a report from journalist Ben Jacobs, who explained that he has 'heard some whispers' surrounding Wolves’ interest in Murillo. Jacobs discussed the fact it would be a 'pretty ambitious' move for the Brazilian, as they look to fill the void left by Kilman.
However, they are not thought to be the only side in for the Forest defender, given Chelsea 'have looked at him' this summer, and Murillo only wants to join a side that will be playing European football in the 2024/25 season.
In terms of a price, Forest will no doubt want to make a profit on the £15m they spent on the defender last summer with prior reports claiming he may well cost around £70m. That means it would be a seriously unlikely deal for the Old Gold to complete.
Why Murillo would be a good signing
Last season, Murillo was a key player at the heart of the Forest defence. He did not feature until October, but when he did, was a mainstay in the starting lineup for the East Midlands club. In total, Murillo played 32 Premier League games, grabbing two assists along the way, against Newcastle United and Fulham.
Football analyst Ben Mattinson heaped praise on the defender, explaining that he is “elite on the ball”, whilst also noting the fact that he is a “dominant ground dueller” in a separate post over on X.
Last season, as per FBref, the Brazil defender averaged 0.19 through balls per 90 minutes, which places him in the top 4% of Premier League defenders. Not only that, Murillo averaged 1.13 attempted take-ons and completed 0.65 per game. Both of those metrics ranked him in the top 3% of positionally similar players.
Indeed, the Brazilian would be replacing Kilman, one of the best box defenders in the Premier League last season. However, as their FBref stats reflect, it would not be a bad replacement for the former Wolves skipper.
In 2023/24, Murillo trumped Kilman in both clearances, with 6.06, and combined tackles and interceptions, with 2.81 per 90. In comparison, the new West Ham player averaged 4.79 clearances and 2.26 combined tackles and interceptions, just slightly less than the Forest defender.
Ball recoveries
4.71
4.66
Aerial duels won
1.23
2.26
Aerial duel win %
40.7%
70.5%
Clearances
6.06
4.79
Tackles and interceptions
2.81
2.26
Progressive carries
0.71
0.58
The Brazilian also slightly edges Kilman when it comes to ball recoveries, with 4.71 compared to the Englishman’s 4.66 per 90. Perhaps surprisingly, however, Kilman comes out on top when it comes to aerial duels. The ex-Wolves skipper won 2.26 each game, compared to Murillo’s 1.23 aerial duels.
A ball recovery is defined by the number of loose balls recovered by a player.
Bringing Murillo in as a direct replacement would be ambitious, but an excellent piece of business from Wolves. Whilst it may not be the easiest deal to pull off, it would be a great statement of intent from O’Neil’s side and would show just how well they are reinvesting all of their money from major sales.
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