'Speed demon' and £22.5m signing get nod in Wolves' best new lineup after transfers
What Wolves’ best lineup could look like after the summer transfer window.
Wolverhampton Wanderers were one of the Premier League’s busiest clubs in the recent summer transfer window, completing seven permanent signings and overseeing just as many permanent exits.
The Old Gold both raised and spent well over £100 million on players in what was a blockbuster few months. Talismanic forward Matheus Cunha left for a club record £62.5 million fee to Manchester United before star left-back Rayan Ait-Nouri completed a £33 million move to Manchester City, thrusting the attention on Wolves before the window even properly began.
It was always going to be a tough task to replace players as important as Cunha and Ait-Nouri, and the jury will probably be out on those who came in for a while yet. Exciting Colombian forward Jhon Arias joined from Fluminense after an impressive Club World Cup before wing-back David Moller Wolfe arrived from AZ Alkmaar.
The attention then turned to replacing outgoing players and planning ahead for those who looked likely to go. Captain Nelson Semedo, experienced playmaker Pablo Sarabia and out-of-sorts attacking trio Fabio Silva, Goncalo Guedes and Chiquinho all left, prompting lots of incoming activity.
Promising winger Fer Lopez, brought in early in the summer from Celta Vigo, was signed in anticipation of many of the above players leaving. Speed demon Jackson Tchatchoua then arrived at right-back from Hellas Verona to replace Semedo, while Ladislav Krejci came in from Girona to bolster the central defensive depth.
Wolves left it late to reinforce the striker position but managed to lure Tolu Arokodare from Genk for around £22.5 million. The striker, a giant at 6ft 6in, could eventually start alongside Jorgen Strand Larsen in a new-look front two.
Wolves’ best new lineup after transfers
Whether the business is for the better or the worse for the club is up to interpretation, but there’s no doubting the squad has completely changed. Picking the new best lineup after all the transfer activity is the next question. How many new signings should feature? Well, we here at Birmingham World have given it our best shot.
GK - Jose Sa: Undoubtedly Wolves’ first choice goalkeeper this season, there’s no taking Sa out from between the sticks. Sam Johnstone and Daniel Bentley remain at the club but Vitor Pereira’s preference is to play Sa instead.
RWB - Jackson Tchatchoua (in from Hellas Verona): It’s still early days for Tchatchoua at Wolves, and there have been some early concerns over his defensive ability, but he’s got to start most weeks due to the immense pace he possesses. The Cameroon international clocked a top speed of 37.3km/h against Everton; the third quickest speed recorded in Premier League history.
CB - Yerson Mosquera: It may be harsh on Matt Doherty to drop him to the bench, but Mosquera is bound to be in the best XI when fully fit. The Colombia international was superb at the beginning of last season before his serious knee injury and there’s hope he can eventually reach his potential.
CB - Emmanuel Agbadou: Despite only joining in January, Agbadou has already settled into the Premier League brilliantly. There aren’t many central defenders in the division who are as dominant as Agbadou. The Ivorian is both strong and quick, exactly what former boss Gary O’Neil was demanding from a new defensive signing he never got.
CB - Toti Gomes: Pereira’s preferred option at left centre-back, Toti has been hot and cold to start the season but he was decent throughout the second half of last campaign. New signing Krejci could take over this position in the long term, but it’s probably Toti’s to lose.
LWB - David Moller Wolfe (in from AZ Alkmaar): The Norwegian has had a mixed start to life in the Premier League but it’s his first ever taste of English football, so he needs time. Moller Wolfe certainly has the physicality to succeed, it’s just whether he has the technical ability. It could go either way, but for £11 million it’s not too much of a gamble.
CM - Andre: A year on from his arrival, Andre has established himself as one of the best deep-lying midfielders outside of the so-called ‘big six’. The Brazil international’s reading of the game is so impressive and having someone of his calibre at the base of midfield gives the attackers so much more license to roam.
CM - Joao Gomes: Completing a Brazilian pairing, Gomes is among Wolves’ new-look leadership team. The 24-year-old is growing in maturity and there aren’t many players in the squad with his engine. It’s no wonder several teams in the Premier League top half have been linked with Gomes’ services.
CAM - Jhon Arias (in from Fluminense): Arias is yet to score in a competitive fixture for Wolves but he’s been a handful for defenders and has shown glimpses of what he’s capable of. There’s perhaps a shout for Marshall Munetsi, Jean-Ricner Bellegarde or Fer Lopez to start in this position instead, but Arias is probably just ahead of those three.
ST - Tolu Arokodare (in from Genk): Unproven in the Premier League but signed with the intention of trying a two-striker formation, Arokodare probably won’t start immediately after the international break but there’s a good chance he gets in the XI regularly as the season goes on. It’s an exciting prospect having two classic centre-forwards up top.
ST - Jorgen Strand Larsen: Following a splendid debut Premier League season which returned 14 goals and five assists, Strand Larsen has become one of Wolves’ star players. The Norwegian was the subject of two failed bids from Newcastle United in the summer and talks are now underway over an improved new contract.