'He knows the pressure' - how past experience will help new Wolves goalkeeper Joao Virginia
The 26-year-old joins the goalkeeping department from Sporting CP.
Wolves head coach Cesar Peixoto believes new signing Joao Virginia ‘knows the expectation and pressure’ to succeed at Wolves.
The 26-year-old became the second goalkeeper to move to Molineux this morning - following John Ruddy’s signing on a free transfer - after completing a £1.3million move from Sporting CP.
And it his experience there that Peixoto believes will be key for the former Arsenal and Reading shot-stopper.
“Joao has a lot of quality and potential to grow,” said Peixoto. “He is hungry to be successful, to work hard and to bring experience because he knows the Championship and English football.
“We only sign players to improve the team and the level, and the right characters, not only the pitch, but outside the pitch, it’s very, very important for group.
“He knows the expectation and pressure of playing to win game after game at his last club, and because of that it’s easier to adapt to our club, to adapt to English football because he’s played here for 10 years is. It’s going to be easier to be ready to help the team.
“He has a hunger to improve, and I want this kind of mentality in each position, to compete with each other in the week, so at the weekend they’re more competitive against the opening teams. This kind of competition inside the team is very, very important.”
Executive chairman Nathan Shi also believes the club’s patient approach in the transfer window is paying off - having waited a long time to add to the early marquee signings of Kieran Trippier and Raul Jimenez.
Shi said: “Cesar rightly insisted this window that we must be patient and only sign players who improve our squad and are committed to the club, and Joao fits that description.
“He is a homegrown player and knows English football well, so he should be a good fit for the squad and the club and will be well received by staff and his team-mates. We’re delighted to have him here.”
Meanwhile, technical director Matt Jackson believes Virginia can settle in and make a contribution straight away.
“He’s very intelligent and a great professional, a level-headed player, and everything that you’d want really – no headlines whatsoever, which is always a good thing for a goalkeeper.” said Jackson. “The last thing we need with the club starting well and going well across two competitions is someone who’s coming in to transition to what is a very difficult league to understand, and it’s going to be an absolute natural transition because he’s very intelligent, articulate, a fluent English-speaking player, and is a perfect fit for us.”