Wolverhampton Wanderers and Newcastle United target Mohammed Salisu has been warned that he will be dropped if he doesn’t perform when La Liga returns, Real Valladolid coach Sergio Gonzalez tellos Sport Finding.
Considering that transfer funds are at a premium all over Europe at the moment, you can pretty much guarantee that one of the finest young centre-halves around will be a man in demand over the next few weeks.
After all, Salisu has a bargain £10 million release clause in his contract.
His availability has not gone unnoticed in the Premier League with El Desmarque reporting that Wolves, Southampton and Watford are watching closely.
Newcastle have also been linked via the same publication, although the Magpies know that they have a mountain to climb with some of Spain’s biggest clubs also fluttering their eyelashes in the direction of a promising Ghanaian.
At just 21, Salisu could be forgiven for having his head turned by such speculation. But, with Valladolid’s top-flight status on the line, Gonzalez is demanding nothing less than 100 per cent focus from his star man.
“He has shown a lot of integrity, a lot of responsibility, a lot of maturity. He is a guy who has not been daunted by the interest he has received,” the coach says.
“He maintains his of work, we talk to him continuously because he knows that he is important to us.
“But he also knows that, if he drops his level, there is another player ready to replace him.”
Valladolid look pretty much certain to lose Salisu this summer, so they will have to find a successor eventually.
A move to Southampton would see the rising star join a coach, Ralph Hasenhuttl, who has a fine track record when it comes to improving young players.
But he could also learn a lot under both Nuno Espirito Santo and Steve Bruce, two tacticians who pride themselves upon defensive organisation.
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