If Wolves are playing in the Premier League next season then is Al-Hilal’s Leo Bonatini going to be good enough?
Wolverhampton Wanderers saw their lead at the top of the Championship cut to nine points midweek following a 2-2 draw at home to Norwich City despite leading 2-0.
Cardiff City seized the advantage in second place by beating Ipswich Town, but with 13 points between Wolves and third-placed Aston Villa currently it would take a dramatic downturn in form for them to miss out on automatic promotion to the Premier League this season.
While the club’s hierarchy would probably not admit it publicly until it was confirmed, it is likely they have one eye on next term and are making preparations for life back in the English top flight.
This is likely to include some significant and expensive recruitment over the summer, which in some respects began in January with the news that the deal for Atletico Madrid loanee Diego Jota would be made permanent at the end of this term.
Another loan star of this season the Express and Star reported Wolves were considering making a permanent acquisition was Leo Bonatini, with the Birmingham Mail claiming the Al-Hilal striker would cost £5m.
This would seem like a reasonable amount for someone who has scored 12 goals already this term, but despite an blistering start to 2017/18 Bonatini has now not found the back of the net since December 4 and in recent times Jota has been switched from the wing to take his place through the middle.
In the second tier the 23-year-old has certainly shown he can be a lethal operator, but if Nuno Espirito Santo’s men want to compete in the top flight do they need more quality than what the Brazilian provides?
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
