Wolves are set to sign Matheus Nunes in a club-record £38 million deal from Sporting Lisbon but the Portugal international won’t be at the Premier League outfit for long, former coach Alexandre Santos tells Radio Renascenca.
No one wants there club to be seen as a ‘stepping stone’. But such a status does offer some advantages.
Imagine, for example, that Matheus Nunes takes English football by storm, firing Wolverhampton Wanderers into the European places before leaving for a European powerhouse, earning the men from Molineux a substantial profit on their initial investment.
A la Diogo Jota, for instance.
Sporting Lisbon’s Matheus Nunes closing in on £38 million Wolves move
“He’s not going to one of the best clubs in England. But, with his style of play and the seasons he’s had at Sporting, it won’t take long for him to leave Wolves,” says Santos, who worked with Brazil-born Nunes in Lisbon and with Estoril.
“He has everything to reach a higher level. He is taking a competitive leap, but he has another leap to take soon.
“(Nunes will succeed in England because of his) footballing quality, but also due to the fast way he grew as a human being.”
According to Sky Sports, Wolves could pay up to £42 million for Nunes with bonuses included. The long-term target – who reportedly turned down a £35,000-a-week contract in the Black Country earlier in the summer and looked certain to stay at Sporting until very recently – could even make his debut in Old Gold as soon as this weekend’s trip to Tottenham Hotspur.
“You are aware of how difficult it is to be a professional footballer,” adds Santos. “It is a rare case that has only been in professional football for four years. From the messages we exchange, you can see that he continues to have the same ambition.”
23-year-old Nunes, a dynamic central midfielder, should provide some thrust to a technical yet one-paced Wolves engine room. He will also become the second high-profile arrival at Molineux in a matter of days.
Fellow Portugal international Goncalo Guedes joined from Valencia in a £27 million deal last week.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
