Wolves 'going to be' in mix to sign £42m star at Molineux | OneFootball

Wolves‘ natural link to Portuguese players means they were always likely to be in the running to sign midfielder Matheus Nunes, according to journalist Jacque Talbot.

Following his eye-catching form for Sporting Lisbon over the last two years, Wolves are interested in bringing the Portugal international to the Premier League.

What’s the latest news involving Nunes?

Bruno Lage had been plotting a move for Nunes’ Sporting teammate Joao Palhinha, but with Fulham now favourites after agreeing a £15m deal, the Molineux outfit appear to be moving onto other targets.

And according to Record (via The Sun), Wolves are ready to break their record transfer fee in an attempt to convince Nunes to swap Lisbon for the Midlands.

The report states that Lage’s side are prepared to top the £35.6m they paid for Fabio Silva and sign the midfielder for £42m, with Wolves hoping the impact of agent Jorge Mendes can improve their chances of making Nunes their first summer addition.

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Reports in Portugal believe that Manchester City and Manchester United are also both keen on Nunes, who Pep Guardiola described as one of the best players in the world after City’s Champions League clash with Lisbon back in February.

What did Talbot say about Nunes?

He told GIVEMESPORT: “His name has been mentioned with Newcastle, while Manchester United were also linked, so it’s evident they’re making noises as he wants to get a move to the Premier League.

“I imagine that with any Portuguese player involved, Wolves are always going to be amongst it.”

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What were Nunes’ stats last season?

According to WhoScored, he was Sporting Lisbon’s fifth-best player in the Liga Portugal, with his 7.08 rating higher than any Wolves player.

In the 23-year-old’s 33 league appearances, he scored three goals and chipped in with two assists, which is a respectable return for a defensive-minded midfielder.

Furthermore, he averaged 1.3 tackles per game, while his 2.5 successful dribbles every time he took to the pitch was the best in the squad and more than any of Wolves’ midfielders.

Nunes also has impressive passing statistics, making 0.7 key passes per game, while 86.2 per cent of his attempted passes found a teammate, making 42.4 on average every appearance.