Wolves are confident of beating Premier League rivals Everton, Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United to the signing of Bastien Meupiyou after submitting a second bid worth £4.3 million for the Nantes starlet.
- Exclusive from Graeme Bailey
After losing two their most important senior players this summer – Max Kilman joining West Ham and Pedro Neto snapped up by Chelsea – Gary O’Neil may face a difficult task replicating or building on last season’s comfortable mid-table finish.
But with a fortnight still left in the summer window, Wolverhampton Wanderers at least have plenty of money in the bank after bringing in nearly £100 million for Kilman and Neto.
Bastien Meupiyou, however, would likely take only a minor bite out of their budget.
Wolves have returned with a new bid for the Paris-born 18-year-old. Nantes rejected their opening £3.4 million offer last week, and it remains to be seen if The Canaries are more receptive to an improved £4.3 million bid.
Talks between the two clubs are ongoing. And Nantes will likely have to sell with only one year left on Meupiyou’s deal.
Wolves lead Tottenham in race for Nantes’ Bastien Meupiyou
While HITC understands that there is interest from Everton, Tottenham Hotspur and the aforementioned West Ham – alongside clubs across France – Wolves are confident that a deal will be struck to bring Meupiyou to Molineux in the near future.
Capped by his nation at Under-18 level, the teenager could be the latest highly-talented young centre-half to emerge from France.
Fellow 18-year-old Leny Yoro has already swapped Ligue 1 for the Premier League this summer – joining Manchester United for £52 million – and Meupiyou looks likely to follow in his footsteps albeit for a much lower fee.
Already a physically imposing presence at 6ft 3ins, the left-footer has only made one Ligue 1 appearance so far. He was sent off, too, just nine minutes into his first-team debut against Marseille back in September 2023.
It is testament to how highly Meupiyou is regarded, however, that a nightmare start to life in the senior game has barely affected his burgeoning reputation.
He was also part of the France team which finished as runners-up in the U17 World Cup last year.
West Ham United and Everton also interested
Nantes coach Antoine Kombouare, meanwhile, revealed back in July that Meupiyou plans to leave the Stade de la Beaujoire.
He also fears that The Canaries will suffer another Randal Kolo Muani situation. The now-Paris Saint-Germain forward left for Eintracht Frankfurt on a free transfer before returning to France 12 months later on a deal worth a staggering £64 million.
“Having spoken with him and his entourage, he wants to leave,” former PSG boss Kombouare told Tribune Nantaise. “It is not up to us to decide. We would like him to stay.
“On the other hand, and I told his dad, he has to extend his contract. I don’t want him to do a Randal.
“If he stays at FC Nantes, he has to extend his contract. Otherwise, he will leave. They said that they had taken note of our speech.”
It appears that, with Wolves closing in, Meupiyou’s camo have chosen the second option.
HITC, meanwhile, have been told that the Black Country outfit could go for Porto forward Galeno after losing Neto.
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