Wolverhampton Wanderers have identified £45 million Valencia striker Maxi Gomez as a replacement for the injured Raul Jimenez at Molineux, according to AS.
While Fabio Silva certainly did himself proud in Sunday’s 2-1 win at Arsenal, it would be a big ask to expect a teenager, even a £35 million teenager, to step up in the absence of Wolves’ stricken talisman between now and March.
Jimenez is expected to miss the next three months with a fractured skull and Silva, at just 18 and with 116 minutes of Premier League football under his belt, is the closest thing Nuno Espirito Santo has to a replacement.
So no wonder they are considering using the upcoming January transfer window to their advantage.
AS claims that Wolves will look to raid cash-strapped Valencia for Uruguay international Gomez.
The 2001 Champions League finalists paid a club-record £45 million to sign this old-school bull of a number nine from Celta Vigo last year but the report adds that unpopular owner Peter Lim would sell if he receives a substantial offer.
Valencia have already cashed in on Ferran Torres, Francois Coquelin, Rodrigo Moreno and captain Dani Parejo this year alone.
Gomez, like Jimenez, is a physical centre-forward who thrives with his back to goal. He shone at Celta Vigo too alongside a intuitive, diminutive number ten in Iago Aspas – a player in the Daniel Podence mould.
Gomez scored 10 times in 33 La Liga matches for Valencia in his debut season at the Mestalla, having hit the target on 31 occasions across two years at Celta.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
