Wolves plotting bold £8m hijack of Brentford transfer for ex-West Brom captain

The Old Gold are reportedly ready to swoop for Burnley central defender Dara O’Shea following the Clarets’ relegation to the Championship.

The Republic of Ireland international started the first two matches of the new season under Scott Parker but interest from the top tier has prompted a likely departure.

The Irish Mirror reported as recently as the weekend that O’Shea was set to join Brentford for £8 million, but that could soon change as Wolves have now entered the fray.

The Telegraph reports Wanderers have turned to O’Shea in their pursuit of a replacement for Maximilian Kilman, who departed for West Ham United in a £40 million deal earlier in the window.

Pedro Neto recently left for Chelsea in a £54 million transfer, too, supposedly adding £94 million to Wolves’ transfer kitty. It’s not as straightforward as that, however, as report mentions Wolves only have around £20 million available to spend as they seek to safeguard their precarious financial position.

Limited funds mean Gary O’Neil must work cautiously in the transfer market. With O’Shea available for 40 per cent of the budget, it could be a no-brainer.

The 25-year-old has 61 Premier League appearances to his name and he’s featured 70 times in the Championship. O’Shea also has 26 caps for Ireland since his debut in October 2020.

If the deal goes through, it would likely cause some local tension as O’Shea racked up 107 appearances as an academy product for bitter rivals West Bromwich Albion, captaining the Baggies during his final season at The Hawthorns.

Birmingham World understands Albion will benefit if Burnley let O’Shea depart as a 20 per cent sell-on clause was inserted into the defender’s departure 13 months ago. If the fee ends up being the reported £8 million, West Brom will receive £1.6 million.