Wolverhampton Wanderers enjoyed a solid end to 2023 as they secured wins over Chelsea, Brentford, and Everton, scoring nine goals and conceding just two in those three fixtures.
It sets up Gary O’Neil’s men nicely for the second half of the campaign as they look to push their way into the top half of the Premier League table.
The January transfer window is now in full swing and the manager will be looking to bolster his side this month.
Wolves transfer news – Said Benrahma
Hwang Hee-Chan has been in sublime form this term, scoring ten goals in the top flight already. He has been called up to represent South Korea in the Asian Cup, however, and will miss several key games for the club.
O’Neil may be looking for some attacking cover and, according to French outlet Footmercato, the Old Gold have recently shown interest in West Ham United winger Said Benrahma, who could be on the move from London this month.
They are said to eyeing up the Algeria international as they are 'convinced' by his qualities, with the English head coach possibly hoping to snap him up this month.
The Molineux outfit could face some stiff competition from the likes of Fulham and French side Lyon in order to lure the Algerian to the Midlands.
O’Neil may have to fork out a pretty penny to secure his signature, however, with the Hammers pricing him at around the £20m mark, which may represent a stumbling block.
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Despite struggling this term – with no goals in 21 appearances across all competitions – there is no doubting his quality, and he is similar to a current Chelsea youngster.
Said Benrahma could be O’Neil’s own Mykhailo Mudryk
Mudryk has endured a tough start to his Chelsea career since joining last January, but in recent weeks he has shown glimpses of his talent.
In 19 games this term, the Ukrainian winger has scored four goals and grabbed three assists and there is hope yet that he could emerge as a key player under Mauricio Pochettino in the coming years.
According to FBref, the Chelsea sensation is the sixth most comparable player to Benrahma in Europe’s top five leagues and, given how highly rated the Ukrainian gem is, it certainly is not a bad comparison to have.
Indeed, this season has seen the two wingers register similar statistics when it comes to shots on target per 90 (0.73 vs 0.45), shot-creating actions per 90 (3.77 vs 3.07), and successful take-on percentage (36.8% vs 41.3%) in the Premier League this term.
Josh Bunting praised him towards the end of last season, saying: “Saïd Benrahma with performances like that tonight is almost unplayable, draws players towards him and then drops and beats them. His quality changed the game, the penalty changes the momentum of that match. He’s been inconsistent this season but he stood up tonight with the intensity.”
While he has failed to score during 2023/24, during his West Ham career, the 28-year-old magician has found the back of the net on 24 occasions, along with chipping in with 19 assists, since the start of the 2020/21 campaign.
Signing someone who is similar to Mudryk could help fill the void left by Hwang over the next few weeks and, while the price tag may be a stumbling block, perhaps O’Neil could negotiate for a better deal.
Benrahma is a proven Premier League performer, as his aforementioned statistics prove, who could hit the ground running in the short-term to provide an attacking threat down the left flank.
