Wolverhampton Wanderers are looking to secure the services of an in-demand free agent, according to reports.
Who did Wolves sign this summer?
It has been an eventful few months both on and off the pitch at Molineux this summer, with the main talking point prior to the new season being Julen Lopetegui’s departure.
Gary O’Neil was the manager brought in to replace the Spaniard, and so far during the current Premier League campaign, Wolves have picked up just three points from a possible 12. The club did make a number of signings before the September 1 deadline, though, with fees shared by Transfermarkt.
Player
Club signed from
Fee
Matheus Cunha
Atletico Madrid
€50m
Jean-Ricner Bellegarde
Strasbourg
€15m
Santiago Bueno
Girona
€12m
Boubacar Traore
FC Metz
€11m
Enso Gonzalez
Libertad
€6m
Matt Doherty
Atletico Madrid
Free transfer
Tom King
Northampton Town
Free transfer
Tommy Doyle
Manchester City
Loan transfer
There were also a number of high-profile departures, with Wolves bringing in just under £150m as a result of Matheus Nunes, Ruben Neves, Nathan Collins, Conor Coady, Raul Jimenez and Ryan Giles all sealing permanent exits.
A healthy profit was therefore made by the Old Gold, but with the transfer market shutting, the only way Wolves can bolster O’Neil’s squad even further before January is through the free agent market, and it appears as if the club are exploring one option.
What’s the latest Wolves transfer news?
According to TEAMtalk, Wolves are one of a number of Premier League clubs looking to sign free agent Xeka. The Portuguese midfielder has interest from Crystal Palace, Everton and Sheffield United, while Championship sides West Brom and Southampton have made contact with the player’s agent.
Xeka also has the option to remain in France after leaving Rennes last month, with teams in Italy, Spain and Turkey also keen.
The 28-year-old looks like he could be a shrewd addition for any of the interested sides. Firstly, Xeka has played as a central, holding, left and attacking midfielder throughout his career, as well as featuring as a centre-back, so would offer plenty of versatility.
Secondly, Xeka is currently valued at €6m by Transfermarkt and has plenty of top-flight experience in France, mainly for Lille, where journalist Josh Bunting labelled him as a "very creative" player. He was a regular for Lille, making 144 appearances before turning out just nine times for Rennes last season.
Despite his lack of game time over the last 12 months, he has still shown his quality when on the pitch. As per FBref, Xeka has ranked highly compared to his positional peers for pass completion, blocks and aerial duels won, showing his ability both on and off the ball.
The player also previously admitted that he tries to base his game on Real Madrid's Toni Kroos.
“But since I’ve been a pro, the one who inspires me the most in my position is Toni Kroos. When I watch his games, I try to analyse his movements, his positioning, the way he touches the ball, how he makes his passes. He is a (role) model.”
O'Neil currently has the likes of Mario Lemina, Traore, Joao Gomes, Bellegarde, Doyle and Bruno Jordao as midfield options, so if he wants another experienced player to rival those name, Xeka could be a smart signing, and by the looks of things, a transfer could be one to keep an eye on.