Wolves plot exciting summer swoop for ‘next Vincent Kompany’ as Leeds United and West Ham show interest

Wolverhampton Wanderers are believed to be leading the charge to sign highly-rated Belgian wonderkid Koni De Winter.

The Old Gold currently have one of the worst defensive records in the league after conceding an alarming 52 goals in 24 matches.

However, the West Midlands outfit have shown signs of improvement since the January capture of Emmanuel Agbadou - and have kept back-to-back clean sheets against Aston Villa and Blackburn Rovers in the league and cup.

But with growing uncertainty surrounding the future of soon-to-be out-of-contract club captain Nelson Semedo, it is expected that Vitor Pereira will once again be in the market for defensive reinforcements, particularly if his team can fend off the threat of relegation.

Wolves plot summer move for Koni De Winter

Wolves have expressed a strong interest in signing talented Belgian defender Koni De Winter as they aim to revamp their backline for years to come.

The 22-year-old is a product of the highly-esteemed Juventus academy that is currently making waves with Serie A side Genoa after his loan deal from Turin was made permanent for £6.8m last summer. He is primarily a central defender but has showcased his versatility by playing as both a right-back and a left-back and even at times thriving as a central defensive midfielder.

He has scored three goals in 13 league appearances this term for Genoa and has been lauded for his excellent ball playing ability, his defensive awareness and his composure to drive into midfield and create chances for his team-mates. His recent form has seen him earn a first senior call-up for Belgium after representing the nation at Under-21 level on 18 occasions.

‘The next Vincent Kompany’

Koni De Winter is the latest in a long line of talented Belgium players to emerge in Europe and is tipped to have the credentials to follow in the footsteps of greats such as Phillipe Albert, Toby Alderwield, Jan Vertonghen and most notably Vincent Kompany.

“All my life I have been told I play like Vincent Kompany,” Said Koni De Winter in an interview with The i Paper.

“I have this ability to make runs with the ball like he did, I have the same technical side. It’s a really big name, so I one day hope to be able to live up to him. You look at the other big names (former Belgian Premier League defenders) and it is only right that they ended playing up in the best competitions.”

Molineux News understands that Wolves have been keeping tabs on De Winter for the last 18 months, but I News adds that West Ham United and Leeds United have also expressed interest in making a move for the young defender.