Premier League trio Wolves, Southampton and Tottenham Hotspur sent scouts to watch Porto’s 1-0 victory over Sporting Lisbon on Thursday with Matheus Nunes and Joao Palhinha featuring, as reported by A Bola.
It’s the end of an era at Molineux. Or, at least, that’s how it looks. Fernando Marcal, Willy Boly, Romain Saiss, Adama Traore, Joao Moutinho and Ruben Neves could all depart over the summer months.
And finding adequate replacements, not least for Moutinho and Neves, will be no easy task.
Portugal international Nunes – recently dubbed ‘one of the best players in the world’ by none other than Pep Guardiola – would certainly represent a step in the right direction however. A dynamic, dextrous attacking midfielder who helped Sporting win their first Primeira Liga title in two decades last season, The Athletic reports that Wolves have identified Nunes as a potential successor for Neves.
According to claims coming out of Portugal, the £33 million-rated star will take some convincing before he becomes the latest in a growing line of Iberian footballers to swap Lisbon for Wolverhampton.
Wolves’ midweek trip to Porto – they scouted Thursday’s Taca de Portugal clash between the Dragao and the reigning Portuguese champions – may have been made with Nunes in mind. Clearly, the 2020 Europa League quarter-finalists are not willing to give up on the one-time Everton target just yet.
Who will replace Neves and Moutinho at Wolves?
A Bola claims that representatives on behalf of Spurs and Southampton were also in attendance at the Estadio do Dragao.
The £29 million-rated Joao Palhinha, Sporting’s 6ft 4ins midfield mountain, has been linked with both Tottenham and Wolves recently (Record). The Athletic believe he could be tasked with filling a Moutinho-shaped hole in Bruno Lage’s engine room.
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Former Molineux starlet Pedro ‘Pote’ Goncalves also featured on Thursday night. He has 14 goals and 11 assists this season.
Other Premier League-linked stars currently contracted to Sporting and Porto include Zaidu Sanusi, Fabio Vieira and Otavio.
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