Wolves look to foreign shores to bolster Molineux ranks

The January transfer window has been a quiet one for Wolves so far as boss Bruno Lage carefully weighs up his options.

However, some movement both in and out is expected at Molineux and, as has become typical of Wolves’ dealings in recent seasons, any new faces appear most likely to arrive from abroad.

Here are some of the players most likely to be wearing gold and black in the near future.

Renato Sanches

Bruno Lage may finally get his man this month with the addition of Lille midfielder Sanches.

Sanches was reportedly on the verge of joining the club on deadline day last summer, only for the deal to fall through at the last minute.

However, Wolves have kept close tabs on the former Bayern Munich and Swansea City man, who has been with the French side since 2019 and made 76 appearances during that time since his 25 million Euros move.

Wolves’ good form has seen them give themselves an outside chance of securing European football next season and Lage sees Portugal international Sanches as someone who can make an instant impact during the second half of the campaign.

A move for 24-year-old Sanches may hinge on whether flying winger Adama Traore completes a switch to Tottenham Hotspur, who are keen to get a deal over the line this month.

Sanches is also believed to be attracting the interest of Liverpool, but Wolves would feel confident of persuading the player to move to the Black Country given the increased game time he would likely enjoy with Wolves.

Sanches has had numerous injury problems and started just 14 games in Lille’s title-winning campaign last season.

Romain Faivre

The French media have speculated that Brest playmaker Faivre could switch to Wolves this month in a deal around the £17m mark.

Wolves were heavily linked with the 23-year-old in the summer but a deal did not materialise and he has remained in France where he has lit up Ligue 1 operating in central midfield and on the right wing.

Faivre has scored seven goals and registered five assists in 19 games this season and French football journalist Adam White has compared his abilities to French legend Zinedine Zidane.

This is another deal which could hinge on what develops with the Traore situation but, with Paris St Germain and AC Milan’s interest in Faivre diminishing, Wolves look to be Faivre’s most likely destination in any move this month.

Chiquinho

Wolves are closing in on a deal for Estoril star Chiquinho after the attacker took to social media to post a picture of himself alongside Molineux defender Toti Gomes.

A fee in the region of £3m is expected to be sufficient to lure 21-year-old Chiquinho away from his homeland and follow in the footsteps of Toti, who made the same move in 2020.

Chiquinho, whose style of play has been compared to former Portugal and Manchester United star Nani, has scored three goals in 15 appearances so far this season for Estoril.

Riqui Puig

In-form Wolves could be set for another raid on Barcelona in a bid to strengthen their midfield.

Having signed Nelson Semedo from Barcelona in 2020 and Francisco Trincao from the Spanish giants last summer, the Molineux side have also kept tabs on Riqui Puig, who may be set to move to the West Midlands this month.

The 22-year-old midfielder has struggled for minutes under Nou Camp boss Xavi Hernandez and his predecessor Ronald Koeman, but Wolves remain keen on the Spaniard and are weighing up a potential loan move.

Such a deal would be low-risk, particularly given the influence of super-agent Jorge Mendes who has close ties with both clubs.

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