£35m Wolves and Rangers transfer flop set for more career turmoil amid 'impossible' ambition claim
A forgotten big money Wolves signing could be set for a move to the eighth different club of his career after a disappointing start to the season
Former big-money Wolves signing Fabio Silva could be on the move once again in January - just months after finally leaving Molineux on a permanent basis.
Silva, who spent five years of his career in the West Midlands, joined Borussia Dortmund for a reported 20 million euros (£17.5m) over the summer after failing to make the grade in England.
However, he’s made just nine appearances in total since his move to the Bundesliga and has scored just one goal, with that sole strike coming in the Champions League in a 4-2 victory away at FC Copenhagen.
Silva is yet to start a single match since moving to Signal Iduna Park and has only been given 106 minutes of first team action after failing to break into Niko Kovač’s team.
Fábio Silva could move to his eight career club in January
According to Sky Deutschland’s Dennis Bayer, Silva is frustrated at his lack of game time at Borussia Dortmund and is already considering a move away for more regular first team opportunities.
The 23-year-old has ambitions of playing for Portugal in the upcoming World Cup in North America after finally making his debut in a UEFA Nations League match against Croatia in November 2024.
Silva is under contract with the German outfit until 2030 but is believed to be seeking a ‘lightning-quick exit’ to try and boost his chances of playing in the World Cup. The report doesn’t state if he’s after a permanent move or a loan, but it looks likely to be a key moment in the young footballer’s career as he aims to finally find a settled place to play.
What’s gone wrong for Fabio Silva?
When Wolves completed the £35m acquisition of Silva in 2020, it was seen as a real statement of intent by an Old Gold team that had secured a second successive seventh place finish while also reaching the quarter-final of the Europa League.
Silva was given 37 opportunities to play in his first season and showed a little bit of promise with four goals and three assists. It was a respectable number for a teenager that was always seen as a project player, but fans always expected more of the youngster, which was something he never delivered as he failed to score again in the Premier League.
The one-time Portuguese wonderkid spent the remainder of his years at Wolves either as a bit-part player from the bench or out on loan trying to make a name for himself.
He had mixed spells at Anderlecht, PSV Eindhoven and Rangers without really setting the world alight, but did enjoy the most productive period of his career at Las Palmas where he reached 10 for the campaign.
Silva’s resurgence attracted interest from a series of clubs including AS Roma and Genoa, but it was Dortmund that emerged with the most attractive offer.
His move to Germany was expected to be a fresh start, but so far things haven’t gone to plan. Sports Witness explains the forward was carrying an injury during his medical but was signed anyway. The outlet adds that some reports in Germany had even suggested that Silva hid his problem from the Dortmund medical team, although the striker himself has categorically denied these claims.