La Liga giants Sevilla have now removed Marcos Acuna from the transfer list with Premier League strugglers Wolves set to miss out on the £12 million-rated Argentina international, according to Marca.
Heading into the January transfer window, cash-strapped Sevilla were hoping to sell three high-earning players in an attempt to free up funds for new arrivals. In that sense, nothing has changed. Jorge Sampaoli’s side are still looking to find potential buyers for three members of their underachieving, ageing squad.
But it’s the identity of that sacrificial trio which has changed. Sevilla, Marca say, have swapped out Acuna for Isco; the summer signing from Real Madrid joining Alejandro ‘Papu’ Gomez and Adnan Januzaj in the shop window.
Acuna, according to La Nervion de Colina, had initially been told he was free to leave in the winter. Sevilla were demanding around £12 million amid a potential reunion with former boss Julen Lopetegui at Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Wolves wanted Sevilla’s Marcos Acuna after his fine form for Argentina at Qatar World Cup
Former Sporting Lisbon flyer Acuna, perhaps the finest left-back in La Liga last season, has fallen out of favour at Sevilla. He’s started just half of their 14 domestic games in 2022/23. But an injury to Alex Telles serves to not only thrust Acuna right back into Sampaoli’s XI, it also brings a premature end to Wolves’ interest.
Manchester United loanee Telles could be out of action for three months. He picked up a knee injury during Brazil’s group-stage defeat to Cameroon in Qatar. As such, this leaves Acuna as the only natural left-sided defender at Sampaoli’s disposal; Marca claiming that the World Cup semi-finalist will now be forced to ‘stay’ in Andalusia for the time being.
This rather unwelcome development is likely to come as a disappointment to Lopetegui. The 56-year-old Spaniard had made no secret of his desire make full use of the January window in an attempt to drag Wolves away from relegation danger.
“We are opening up different options,” Lopetegui said over the weekend. “Because the reality is that we have to reinforce the team in different positions. (Acuna) is a player that I like. But we will see what happens.”
Wolves, at least, are still in talks to sign Atletico Madrid duo Matheus Cunha and Felipe. Furthermore, left-back is arguably one of the stronger areas of Lopetegui’s squad; Hugo Bueno coming on leaps and bounds recently, with Rayan Ait-Nouri and Jonny Castro Otto also on the books.
Missing out on Acuna is a disappointment, yes, but far from a disaster.
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