Julen Lopetegui must make transfer decision for in-demand Wolves youngster

Wolverhampton Wanderers striker Fabio Silva’s loan spell in the Dutch Eredivisie has officially come to an end and Julen Lopetegui now has a decision to make about the youngster’s future.

Used 54 times in the Premier League to date since a £34.2 million transfer in 2020, Silva has had some involvement for Wolves but has fallen well short of expectations, with just four goals.

The former Porto man was sent out on two loans last campaign to try and revive his form somewhat and he did just that, first impressing in Belgium with Anderlecht and then in the Netherlands with PSV Eindhoven.

Starting mainly as a centre forward, Silva scored 11 goals for Anderlecht and five for PSV in a combined 51 appearances. He quickly became a fan favourite at both clubs but has now returned to Molineux.

What next for Silva?

There has been wide speculation of clubs across Europe - including Galatasaray, Lazio and Roma - wanting to sign Silva this summer, with both loans and permanent transfers touted.

The player himself enjoyed the experience of heading abroad and has already made his view clear that a move away from Wolves would be the preferred option, as per his agent, Carlos Oliveira.

Speaking to The Wolfpack, Oliveira revealed: “Fabio loves the fans and has a lot of respect for their chairman, but the 2021/22 season left a lot of psychological scars on him.

“We didn’t feel there was protection for a 19-year-old boy, who at 18 in his debut season scored four goals and [registered] four assists. The idea will be to not continue at Wolves.

“We are on the same wavelength to see what the best solution is for Fabio. For our part, we want a definite exit. Let’s see the availability and willingness of Wolves,” Oliveira continued.

The latest on Lopetegui’s side is he would like to assess Silva in pre-season before making a decision. The head coach is well aware of the lack of depth up top with Diego Costa and Raul Jimenez both leaving.

If Wanderers do want to keep hold of the youngster, Oliveira’s comments will have thrown quite the spanner in the works and plenty of work will need to be carried out to repair the damage made.

What could Silva offer Wolves?

Although not an instant hit after his big-money transfer three years ago, Silva still has the potential to become a success if he stays put at Molineux.

Things really began to click for the Portuguese when his confidence was high at Anderlecht and PSV, with a direct goal involvement every 93 minutes for the latter. A trophy even followed as he won the Dutch KNVB Cup.

Silva has not only upped his game in terms of goalscoring, but his physical attributes have improved too. After looking rather lightweight in the Premier League, the forward has developed his presence in the box.

Sasa Kalajdzic will of course be back soon to offer plenty of height in the area but Silva is far more mobile and is better at operating in the channels. His directness could offer something a bit different for Lopetegui.