Racing Club are ‘braced’ for a bid from Southampton for Carlos ‘Charly’ Alcaraz as the Premier League strugglers look to beat Wolves to the Argentine’s signature, according to The Telegraph.
As things stand, only Nathan Jones’ Saints side are keeping Wolverhampton Wanderers off the bottom of the table. Between them, they have scored as many goals (25) as they have points on the board.
And with attacking inspiration proving hard to come by, the January transfer window feels distinctly make or break as two clubs who’s recruitment models sparked plenty of green-eyed jealousy not so long ago now look to buy their way out of trouble.
Wolves have already invested a club-record £44 million fee in Atletico Madrid striker Matheus Cunha. A tug-of-war could soon break out for another exciting South American talent too; Carlos ‘Charly’ Alcaraz on the radar of both Wolves and Southampton.
Southampton and Wolves could go head-to-head for Carlos Alcaraz
Julen Lopetegui wants up to six new signings this month. Alcaraz, per Italian publication FC Inter News, is one potential addition; talks between Wolves and Argentine outfit Racing Club already underway.
A rival bid could also arrive from St Mary’s before the week is out; The Telegraph claiming that Racing are ‘braced’ for an offer from a side who have tasted three defeats in four games since appointing ex-Luton boss Jones as Ralph Hasenhuttl’s replacement.
“We have an option in England and Portugal,” Alcaraz’s agent said in November. “But neither the Inter nor AC Milan directors have contacted me recently.
“We are waiting. We’ve been talking to important clubs. Around 15 million euros (could be enough to sign him). The fee could be reduced by adding a sell-on clause for Racing.”
20-year-old Alcaraz is a stylish attacking midfielder very much in the typical Argentinian mould. The 2022 World Cup winners are not nicknamed the ‘Angels with Dirty Faces’ for nothing. Alcaraz actually posted more yellow cards (ten) than he scored goals (nine) during the 2022 season at Racing Club.
“Every possibility is open to us. What we have to do is make sure that the squad we go into January with is weaker than the one we come out of with. That’s the main thing,” Jones tells The Athletic.
“It won’t be a super busy January. But we would like to make sure that the squad that we go into January and the one we’ll come out with will be stronger and better.”
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