Sporting Lisbon playmaker Iuri Medeiros is a man in demand with Wolves battling Roma and Krasnodar for his signature.
It’s testament to just how impressive Iuri Medeiros was on loan at Moreirense in 2015/16 that the idea that the talented attacker could earn a place in Fernando Santo’s Euro 2016 squad didn’t appear too outlandish at the time.
Portugal lifted their first major trophy on French soil without needing the Sporting Lisbon-owned youngster but it appears only a matter of time before Medeiros does force his way into the national coach’s plans.
Whether a surprise move to Wolves will help him achieve those ambitions, however, remains to be seen. O Jogo claims that the Midlands club are plotting a move for the Portugal Under-21 international.
Iuri Medeiros helped Portugal to the final of the 2015 European Under-21 Championships alongside Wolves’ Ivan Cavaleiro
Though he wouldn’t come cheap, with A Bola claiming that Russian side Krasnodar had a bid of around £4.3 million rejected recently. Serie A giants Roma are also reported to be interested.
Yet, Medeiros has the potential to be worth every penny. After exploding onto the scene with Moreirense, the attacking midfielder only enhanced his reputation last season during another loan spell, this time at Boavista.
Scoring seven goals and creating eight, his ability to thread the ball through the eye of a needle and drift past opposition players with balletic skill makes the 22-year-old a joy to watch.
Man for Mendes?
And he appears to be exactly the kind of midfielder Wolves are crying out for. So much of their attacking thrust came from wide positions last season with winger Helder Costa and rampaging full-back Matt Doherty central to their attacking gameplan.
Medeiros, however, could give Wolves some much needed creativity in a more central role while perhaps getting the best out of forwards largely starved of service last season.
With a former Porto manager at the helm in Nuno Espirito Santo, and Iberian super-agent Jorge Mendes heavily connected to transfer dealings, Wolves may be well placed to lure Medeiros to Molineux. And he could be a revelation.
Mendes may have been criticised in some quarters for bringing a raft of Portuguese-based players to the Midlands, with the bad largely overbalancing the good. Yet, helping Wolves nab Medeiros could earn him some points back in the eyes of supporters.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
