Wolverhampton Wanderers may have to sell players this summer before making any new signings, but it looks as though Gary O’Neil has several targets lined up for a move to Molineux…
Wolves transfer news
According to A Bola, Wolves are showing interest in left-back Francisco Moura ahead of the summer transfer window.
O’Neil knows that his budget will be determined by whether he manages to generate funds from player sales, but signing Moura will only cost him around €10m (£8.5m) should he be willing to bring the defender to the Midlands.
This fee certainly won't break the bank and, aged just 24, Moura has his peak years ahead of him, which suggests it could be an interesting signing by O’Neil.
Rayan Ait-Nouri, the first choice left back at the Old Gold, is attracting plenty of attention due to his performances throughout the 2023/24 campaign, most notably from Manchester City.
There is no doubt the club could secure a massive profit on the 22-year-old should he depart after four years at Molineux, which would give O’Neil the licence to turn his attention towards Moura as a direct replacement.
Why Francisco Moura is an ideal Ait-Nouri replacement
Ait-Nouri missed just five Premier League games last term, emerging as one of O’Neil’s most reliable players.
He even chipped in with two goals and one assist, showcasing his abilities going forward as he was routinely used on the left side of a four-man midfield.
With City circling around the defender in the hopes of luring him to the Etihad, the promise of trophies and Champions League football might be too good an offer to turn down, which could pave the way for Moura to join the Old Gold.
The 24-year-old made the move to his current club Famalicao from SC Braga on an initial loan deal in the summer of 2022, before joining permanently last summer.
Goals
2
1
Assists
2
4
Key passes per game
1.1
2.3
Successful dribbles per game
0.4
0.4
Total duels won per game
3.4
3.7
Via Sofascore
During his two seasons with the club, he has already made 73 appearances, scoring four goals while grabbing nine assists, indicating how much he loves to burst forward from defence. For context, the four assists tallied up last term was even more than Hwang Hee-chan who registered three in all competitions.
Moura was lauded as “exciting” alongside Yan Couto in 2021 by Breaking the Lines founder Zach Lowy during his spell at Braga.
Last season saw Moura play 33 games in the Portuguese top flight, averaging 2.3 key passes per game, creating eight big chances and succeeding with 71% of his dribbles, certainly proving how impressive he is advancing into the final third.
Defensively, the 24-year-old won 55% of his total duels per game, was dribbled past only 0.4 times per match while making 1.7 tackles each outing, demonstrating his abilities when he didn’t have the ball.
Signing Moura makes perfect sense for O’Neil, especially as losing Ait-Nouri is becoming more and more likely.
At just £8.5m, the Old Gold can secure a player who has proven his ability in one of Europe’s best leagues, while also having the potential to further improve by making a move to the Premier League.
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