'Situation changed' - Late u-turn made in Wolves transfer saga as £10m signing's move gets green light
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Transfer Deadline Day is here at last, and it could be a busy day for Wolves, with a number of players being linked with a late move to Molineux.
So far this month, new manager Vitor Pereira has been able to bring in just one new signing, with Emmanuel Agbadou joining in a £16.6m move from Reims. However, it looks like a deal for midfielder Marshall Munetsi, also from Reims, could go through before this evening's deadline.
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Hide AdAs we await further news on potential arrivals, one exit that looks likely is that of Mario Lemina. Soon after his arrival at the club in December, Periera made it clear to the press that Lemina was not in his plans, revealing: “I don’t know what happened before me, but with this energy and mentality, I don’t need him (Lemina). I'd prefer to play another player. I don't have anything against Lemina or any issues with him. He said to me that he wants to leave, and he communicated this decision one month ago to the club."
Fresh reports from Turkey, via Sport Witness, have now claimed that Galatasaray are closing in on a move for Lemina, with a €3.5m fee likely to be enough to secure his signature. The Turkish giants' manager Okan Buruk was initially said to not be keen on the move, but now looks to have made a u-turn on his stance, which will likely to push the move through before the deadline.
While Wolves do have the option to extend Lemina's contract by a further year, they will look to cash in on the Gabon international this winter, given Pereira's clear stance on the player's future at the club.
Will Wolves sign any more players on deadline day?
It seems certain that Wolves will get at least one new signing over the line before this evening's 11pm deadline. As well as the aforementioned Munetsi, the club are also believed to have made a move to sign Red Star defender Nasser Djiga in deal that could be worth around £10m.
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Hide AdThe proposed move, which would be a transfer record for the Serbian top tier should it go through, would likely also include further bonuses to sweeten the deal for Red Star.
A seven-cap Burkino Faso international, Djiga has attracted interested from a host of sides across the Premier League and further afield, with Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace believed to also be among the 22-year-old's admirers.
Standing at 6ft 4in, the towering defender would be a commanding presence in the Wolves back line, and could give them the defensive robustness Pereira has been seeking in his early days at Molineux.
What next for Wolves?
Away from the hectic deadline day dealing, Wolves will be in excellent spirits following their West Midlands derby win over Aston Villa at the weekend. The 2-0 win at Molineux saw the Old Gold nudge their way out of the relegation zone, as a frantic battle with Leicester City and Ipswich continues at the bottom of the table.
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Hide AdWith 14 matches to go this season, Wolves will be hoping their landmark win over the Villans will be the catalyst for a strong run of form to ensure they avoid the drop, with 14 matches of the 2024/25 Premier League campaign left to go.
Next up, Wolves travel to take on Blackburn Rovers in the fourth round of the FA Cup this weekend, before attentions turn back to the Premier League with a tricky back-to-back run of facing both Liverpool and Bournemouth away from home.
Things will then get a little easier for Pereira's men, who will look to pick up some vital points when they go on a run of matches where they'll face the likes of Fulham, Southampton, Everton and Ipswich Town in quick succession.
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