Wolverhampton Wanderers could turn to Penarol wonderkid Facundo Pellistri if Adama Traore earns a big-money move away from Molineux this summer, according to The Mail.
With one of the Premier League’s most influential attackers catching the eye of some of Europe’s biggest clubs, specifically Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool (Sun), Wolves will have their work cut out filling a Traore-shaped void in Nuno Espirito Santo’s front line.
But it speaks volumes about Pellistri that, at just 18, he has already been identified as the player capable of stepping into the shoes of a £60 million talisman.
The Uruguayan starlet is also a target for Newcastle United and Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City, according to The Mail, with a £10 million price-tag unlikely to put off clubs from the richest league on planet earth.
With his mop of mousy brown hair and a tendency to leave full-backs for dead, comparisons will inevitably be drawn with a fresh-faced Lionel Messi, although it is another Argentine legend who has been left blown away by Pellistri’s potential.
Juan Roman Riquelme describes the youngster as a ‘scoundrel’, the sort of enigmatic, game-changing maverick who find themselves increasingly endangered in the modern game (Observador).
Since taking charge of Wolves in 2017, Nuno’s tactical mind and man-management skills have helped transform Diogo Jota, Raul Jimenez, Ruben Neves and the £60 million-rated Traore into some of the most impressive performances in English football.
Could he work his magic once again on Pellistri?
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
