Ruben Vinagre has not been seen in the Championship for three months with Wolverhampton Wandereres preferring Barry Douglas at left-back.
Ruben Vinagre was so impressive in the opening weeks of this Championship season that the exciting Wolves’ full-back found himself on the radar of a number of bona fide Premier League giants.
Just two months after making his debut for Wolves on loan from Ligue 1 champions Monaco, the Mail reported that Manchester United, Arsenal and Everton were all keeping a close eye on this swashbuckling 18-year-old.
In the five months that followed, however, Vinagre has not only disappeared from the gossip columns but from Wolves’ starting XI, too.
The teenager has not made a Championship appearance since mid-December and has not been seen at all since he was sent off in the FA Cup third round clash against Swansea City almost three months ago.
Of course, this has a lot to do with the superb form of Barry Douglas, who has emerged in recent months as perhaps the best left-back outside the Premier League.
Douglas now has 12 Championship assists to his name, not to mention four goals, his wand of a left-foot and wondrous set-piece delivery making the full-back one of the most dangerous attacking weapons at Wolves’ disposal.
But it remains to be seen what the future holds for the out-of-favour Vinagre at Molineux.
The Express and Star claims that Wolves have an exclusive option to sign Vinagre at the end of this season on a permanent deal from Monaco. But after three months out of the Championship side’s starting XI, the club might have a difficult decision to make.
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