- Via Graeme Bailey
Wolves have opened talks with Corinthians over an £18 million deal for Yuri Alberto with the striker potentially on his way to the Premier League months after West Ham United missed out.
HITC Football understands that, after Chelsea turned down their loan bid for Armando Broja earlier in the week, Gary O’Neil’s Wolverhampton Wanderers side have shifted their focus to South America in pursuit of a new number nine.
Talks are now underway between Wolves and Brazilian giants Corinthians. The men from Molineux made their approach over the weekend, as O’Neil’s side were defeating Midland neighbours West Brom in the FA Cup fourth round.
Yuri Alberto, if a deal can be agreed before Thursday’s deadline, could move to England an initial loan deal which may become permanent in the summer to the tune of £18 million.
Wolves in talks to sign Brazil striker Yuri Alberto
22-year-old Alberto has had one spell in European football before. He found the net just four times during a short-livd spell at Zenit St Petersburg in Russia. The Brazil international – who picked up his one and only Selecao cap in 2023 – will be hoping to make a more sustained impression if offered another stab at life on this side of The Atlantic.
Despite the excellent recent form of Hwang Hee-Chan and Matheus Cunha, Wolves are prioritising a new centre-forward this week, and Alberto should come a lot cheaper than Broja. Chelsea reportedly want a staggering £50 million for the Slough-born Albanian, despite the fact he has scored only three goals since returning to Stamford Bridge after a fine loan spell at Southampton.
Alberto, in contrast, has not found goals quite so hard to come by. He scored 15 for Corinthians in the 2023 Brazilian season, almost as many as he managed at Internacional a couple of years ago, form which reportedly attracted the attention of Arsenal and Barcelona.
West Ham’s loss could be Wolves’ gain
“I believe that, if he goes to the Premier League, he will be very successful,” former Santos coach Marcio Zanardi said at time, Alberto shooting to fame with a 22-minute hat-trick against Atletico Goianiense
“He’s a keen player. He has exceptional (skills) one against one. He has a lot of strength, positions himself well in the (penalty) area and finishes like few others. A lot of quality.”
Wolves’ interest comes a few months after West Ham tried and failed to lure Alberto to the London Stadium.
“I had an offer from West Ham for 16 million euros,” admits then-Corinthians president Duilio Monteiro Alves after turning down a late-summer bid from The Hammers.
“And we didn’t do it (the deal).”
Wolves, HITC understands, are also closing in on Noha Lemina. The younger brother of Molineux midfielder Mario Lemina is joining from Paris Saint-Germain after a deal was agreed with the French champions.
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