Wolves may have lost captain Max Kilman but manager Gary O’Neil is not losing any sleep just yet.
Speaking earlier this week, ahead of Wolverhampton Wanderers 3-1 pre-season friendly defeat to Crystal Palace in the USA, O’Neil insisted that he was happy with the central defensive options still available to him at Molineux.
Wolves still have the experience of Craig Dawson and the promise of Santiago Bueno.
There is Toti Gomes as well – the left-footer who looks best placed to step into Kilman’s shoes – and the returning Yerson Mosquera, ready to make his Premier League bow after a fine loan spell at Villarreal.
In private, however, Wolves’ pursuit of Kilman successors suggests that O’Neil and co may not be quite as comfortable as they appear to be in public.
Wolves and Aston Villa looked at Strahinja Pavlovic
HITC understands that Wolves had been keeping very close tabs on Strahinja Pavlovic. The Serbia international impressed during Euro 2024 – particularly during that 1-0 defeat to England in the group-stages – while also catching the eye of Aston Villa, Fulham, Nottingham Forest, Newcastle United and Chelsea.
Brentford, HITC reported a month ago, also held talks.
Pavlovic is off the market now, however.
Red Bull Salzburg accepted an offer in the region of £17 million from Italian giants AC Milan, per Calciomercato, with the one-time Monaco youngster officially unveiled in those black-and-white stripes a few days later.
“I’m happy and proud to be here. It’s an incredible feeling,” a beaming Pavlovic tells Tuttomercatoweb. “It’s a dream come true.
“I remember when I played at San Siro against Milan two years ago, the atmosphere was incredible. I can’t wait to play here, but this time with the fans who will cheer for me.”
Still only 23, Milan represents the fifth – and biggest – move of Pavlovic’s young career.
The 6ft 4ins giant started out at Partizan Belgrade in his native Serbia before moving onto Monaco.
And while the Principality club can boast an outstanding track record when it comes to helping young players realise their potential – see Kylian Mbappe, Bernardo Silva, Fabinho and more – it was at Red Bull Salzburg where Pavlovic really made his name following loan spells at Cercle Brugge and Basel.
Celtic once scouted the San Siro newbie
Interestingly, Scottish champions Celtic showed interest in a teenage Pavlovic some 12 months before he travelled to Monaco.
According to the Scottish Sun, then-Hoops boss Neil Lennon even headed to Wales to watch Pavlovic in the flesh during a European qualifier against Connah’s Quay.
Celtic, then, were somewhat ahead of the curve in their belief that Pavlovic was a centre-half of considerable potential. Potential he will now look to unleash in the gilded surroundings of seven-time European champions AC Milan.
“Pavlovic? He is aggressive, he is a left-footed defender and he will bring physicality to the team,” new Rossoneri head coach Paulo Fonseca tells Gazzetta dello Sport.
“Pavlovic will not have a hard time learning our way of playing and defending.”
Wolves, meanwhile, continue to be linked with another left-sided centre-half in Borussia Monchengladbach’s Nico Elvedi.
A target for the Molineux outfit back in 2023 too, Gladbach will be in no rush to sell after a deal to bring fellow leftie Max Wober back from Leeds United hit the buffers.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
