'Great signing' Josh Brownhill has been a long-term target for Wolves boss

GiveMeSport

·16 December 2023

'Great signing' Josh Brownhill has been a long-term target for Wolves boss

Wolverhampton Wanderers are reported to be interested in signing Burnley midfielder Josh Brownhill during the 2024 winter transfer window at Molineux.
Wolves have struggled with financial restrictions this season but are hoping to secure cut-price deals that offer both sell-on value and quality on the pitch.
Transfer insider Dean Jones has some scepticism about the likelihood of the potential transfer of the 27-year-old, but believes he would be a great addition to Gary O'Neil's team if it happens.

Wolverhampton Wanderers could be making “a great signing” by acquiring the services of Burnley midfielder Josh Brownhill in the 2024 winter window, as transfer insider Dean Jones discusses the potential of a deal at Molineux.

Wolves head coach Gary O’Neil is looking for reinforcements to avoid the club slipping into a Premier League relegation battle for the second consecutive season.

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Wanderers have been hamstrung with a need to comply with the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules throughout the 2023/24 season and are set to limit their spending in January. However, there could be some wiggle room for Fosun and O’Neil to secure some cut-price deals at Molineux, representing both good sell-on value and quality on the pitch.

Wolves’ 2023/24 transfer business

Wolves struggled to bring in significant reinforcements across the first transfer window of the 2023/24 season. Fosun insisted the club needed to make a huge profit to remain within the Premier League’s profit and sustainability parameters. A sell-to-buy method eventually led to Julen Lopetegui seeking to mutually terminate his contract at Molineux. He insisted he was unaware of the club’s inability to spend in the window.

Less than 24 hours after the Spanish head coach’s departure was confirmed, O’Neil’s arrival was announced, with the 40-year-old having less than a week to prepare his side for their Premier League opener at Manchester United. The former AFC Bournemouth head coach will be satisfied with his start to life in the Black Country, with Wanderers on course to comfortably dispense any relegation concerns heading into the new year.

In October, it was reported that Wolves were set to avoid punishment from the Premier League, having raised £140m in player sales, with stars such as Matheus Nunes, Ruben Neves, Nathan Collins, Conor Coady and Raul Jimenez departing during the summer. However, with the three-year calculation period not over until next summer, Wolves must remain sensible during the 2024 winter transfer window.

O’Neil has already been provided with the additions of Tom King, Matt Doherty, Enso Gonzalez, Santiago Bueno, Tommy Doyle and Jean-Ricner Bellegarde. However, the former Liverpool coach will want to see more Premier League experience added to his squad.

According to a report in The Daily Mirror, Wolves want to sign Brownhill from Burnley. The 27-year-old is valued at £20m by the Clarets and was admired by O’Neil when he was Bournemouth's head coach for most of the 2022/23 season. Brownhill’s contract expires in the summer of 2024, though Burnley want to trigger an option to keep him at Turf Moor for a further 12 months, but Wolves hope to secure his services at a cut-price £7m.

Dean Jones on Brownhill to Wolves

Jones has scepticism over a Wolves move for Brownhill, with the midfielder often being linked to transfers that never transpire. However, the transfer insider wouldn’t be surprised if the interest from the Black Country outfit was genuine. Jones told GIVEMESPORT:

“Brownhill gets linked with many clubs and doesn't tend to move. So, I think that's the main reason that I'd have scepticism about it. I think he'd be a great signing in an O'Neil team. If he were to move on, I think this is the sort of thing he should consider. Off the top of my head, I think he might have even been looked at by O’Neil when he was at Bournemouth. So, it wouldn't surprise me if the links to Wolves were true. But we'll have to see whether the player’s got any desire for something like this to happen.”

Wolves transfer news

According to Brazilian journalist Vitor Beloti, Wolves have enquired about the services of Flamengo right-back Wesley Franca. Brighton & Hove Albion and Crystal Palace are also interested in the Brazilian defender, who has told his current club of his desire to play in Europe. Wolves have had some success recruiting from Flamengo in the past, with the arrival of Joao Gomes at Molineux in January 2023, who has established himself as a regular for O’Neil’s side.

Meanwhile, multiple sources in Germany (via Talking Wolves) have claimed that Bundesliga outfit Freiburg are interested in signing Wanderers striker Fabio Silva in January. The 21-year-old has struggled to get into O’Neil’s starting lineup ahead of Matheus Cunha and Sasa Kalajdzic and may feel his future is best served away from Molineux.

After their trip to West Ham United on 17th December, Wolves welcome Chelsea to Molineux on Christmas Eve. Wanderers then travel to Brentford on 27th December before hosting Everton at Molineux on the 30th in their final match of 2023.