Wolves ready to deal PL rivals transfer hammer-blow by sealing new deal for £60m-rated star striker
Wolves have had little to shout about early in the new Premier League season
As has become all too common in recent years, Wolverhampton Wanderers have had a challenging August and will look to put things right after the international break.
Vitor Pereira’s side were beaten 3-2 at home by Everton last time out to become the only side to lose all three of their opening fixtures. A trip to Newcastle United is next up, before a crunch match against Leeds United at Molineux.
Wolves lost several key players over the summer, most notably Matheus Cunha and Rayan Ait-Nouri, and their attacking signings have struggled to make a difference as of yet. It was important, therefore, that Wanderers kept their remaining goal-scoring talent at the club late in the transfer window to avoid an even more difficult start.
The Old Gold will be encouraged by the promising news that a key player is ‘expected’ to commit their future to Molineux following a transfer saga over the summer.
Jorgen Strand Larsen to sign new deal
According to reports by The Telegraph, Wolves have begun negotiations with Norway striker Jorgen Strand Larsen over a new contract with the club. The improved terms arrive mere months after signing the striker, who was on loan at the club last season, in a permanent £23 million deal from Celta Vigo.
Wolves are said to be confident of securing a new deal for Strand Larsen, though it is unlikely to include a minimum release clause after the 25-year-old was the subject of two bids by Newcastle United late in the transfer window - worth a huge £50m and £55m. Though the Magpies ultimately signed Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa instead, the news of a new contract will be a blow to Premier League rivals who had hoped to land Strand Larsen for a bargain deal in the future.
The summer interest was firmly rebuffed by Wolves, who knew that the sporting reality of losing their main remaining source of goals outweighed the great financial profit a sale would have led to. Strand Larsen scored 14 Premier League goals last season and scored twice as Wolves beat West Ham United in the EFL Cup second round. The player is believed to be valued at around £60m by the club.
‘We never considered’ - Wolves’ chairman speaks
Head coach Vitor Pereira spoke on Strand Larsen recently, while the transfer window was still open for business: “In my career, I have known a lot of players in this situation and they just ask me not to play, but Larsen wants to play every time,” said Pereira. “He wants to play and wants to help the team.
“That means that he has the character, because being a top player is not only about technical things, but also about the character. I have got to know him in the last six, seven or eight months, and I know him very well. He will never, never force [a move]. But of course, we know, football is football and we have to be ready for everything.”
Wolves executive chairman Jeff Shi has since added: "[We] never considered selling him in the window. He is a very good boy, very honest and also very generous. I have no doubts about him. Sometimes in the market every person has some chance in their career but I believe he will forget about it and commit to the team.
"We had a very good conversation with him. After he comes back from some small injuries he will be ready. I'm sure he will score a lot. Jorgen is one of the most important players in the squad. He scored 14 goals and I hope he can score 20 goals this season. Hopefully he can improve to become a top striker in the league and the world."