'Total verbal agreement' - intriguing update on £20m Wolves transfer target emerges amid rival interest

We're thirteen days into the January transfer window, and Wolverhampton Wanderers will be looking to push on with their winter recruitment drive after completing the signing of powerhouse defender Emmanuel Agbadou earlier this month.

One player understood to be on Wolves' radar is versatile Chelsea man Renato Veiga, who only just joined the Blues last summer in a £12m deal from FC Basel. Reports from Talksport late last week claimed that Wolves had seen a bid turned down for the Portuguese midfielder, and added that 'it remains to be seen' whether they return with a second offer.

Fresh reports have now revealed German side Borussia Dortmund have accelerated a move for the 21-year-old, with Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg claiming via X: "Borussia Dortmund have reached a total verbal agreement with Renato Veiga. Dortmund now pushing to sign the 21 y/o left-back from Chelsea. Veiga, keen on the move to BVB. Dortmund now trying to find an agreement with Chelsea about a loan deal with an option to buy."

This claim was backed up by further reliable sources, with transfer insider Ben Jacobs adding: "CFC still deciding if they are prepared to sanction an exit, but Veiga is open to a move. A loan, as Wolves found, less likely as it stands than a formula with permanence, but it’s a fluid situation. It is possible Veiga is sold in January. Chelsea believe his development is on track but Veiga could still ask to leave."

Meanwhile, the Telegraph have given a similar verdict on Veiga's future, and insisted that the Blues will only let the ex-Sporting CP youngster leave this month if it is on a permanent deal, with an offer in excess of £20m required for the club to consider letting him go.

Which other players could Wolves sign this month?

It remains to be seen whether Wolves can beat Dortmund to the signing of Veiga, but the club will have plenty of other irons in the fire as they look to get further deals over the line before Deadline Day early next month.

Toulouse attacker Zakaria Aboukhlal is the latest name to be tipped for a move to Molineux, with reports from France claiming the Morocco international has emerged as a key Wolves target. So far this season, the Toulouse forward has scored six goals and provided two assists in Ligue 1.

Another player who could make his way to the West Midlands this January is ex-Leicester City striker Kelechi Iheanacho. The Nigeria international, now on the books at La Liga club Sevilla, was said to have been the subject of recent enquiries from both Wolves and relegation battle rivals Ipswich Town.

Meanwhile, it has been claimed that it would take a 'huge offer' for Wolves to even consider parting company with key midfielder Joao Gomes this month. The £15m ace, who joined the club back in the summer of 2013, is said to have captured the interest of north London duo Arsenal and Spurs, but Wolves appear ready to fight tooth and nail to keep the 23-year-old Brazil international at Molineux.

Who do Wolves play next?

Away from the intense January transfer window speculation, Wolves are looking to kick on in their battle for Premier League survival this week.

Vitor Pereira's side ground out a 2-1 win against Bristol City last weekend, with first half goals from Rayan Ait-Nouri and Rodrigo Gomes proving enough to see the team progress into the fourth round of the competition, where they will meet Championship side Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park next month.

In the Premier League, there is a full set of midweek fixtures, with Wolves making the trip to take on Eddie Howe's in-form Newcastle United on Wednesday evening.

A trip to Enzo Maresca's Chelsea follows next Monday, before title contenders Arsenal are welcomed to Molineux to round off a tricky month of fixtures for Wolves.

As things stand, Wolves are 17th in the Premier League table with 16 points. They are only outside the relegation zone due to a superior goal difference to Ipswich, and will be desperate to get more points on the board to aid their bid of avoiding the drop this season.