'Genuine' interest - Wolves swiftly change transfer target and race to sign £21m midfielder before

Wolves are “keen” on signing 23-year-old Real Betis midfielder Johnny Cardoso before the January transfer window closes, according to new reports, as Vitor Pereira and his transfer team hunt for a new midfielder after missing out on a deal for Manu Silva,

Both Fabrizio Romano and Spanish outlet Relevo have reported on the potential deal, with the Italian journalist describing the transfer as “not an easy one” while noting that the interest is “genuine”.

Relevo, meanwhile, claim that Wolves have already made “initial contact” over the American international, while noting that any agreement is “a long way off” as Betis are expected to ask for a substantial fee.

The midfielder, who moved to Betis from Brazilian outfit Internacional last January, has also been strongly linked with a move to Tottenham. The North London outfit have reportedly agreed a €25m (£21m) purchase option for the player, but that doesn’t kick in until next summer. Wolves would likely have to pay more if they want to hijack the deal.

Who is Johnny Cardoso?

Born in New Jersey, Cardoso is a primarily defensive midfielder who typically plays as part of a double pivot for his current club. He has made 18 appearances for the senior US national team, and became a regular in the national side over the course of 2024 having made his debut in 2020.

Although not considered a technically exceptional player, he is noted for the high volume of turnovers that he forces and for his impressive tackling. Betis consider him to be an important player and are expected to demand a considerable fee for his services, but the Spanish club have been in a difficult financial position in recent years and are always ready to sell players if the price is right.

Cardoso had been expected to move to Spurs in the summer, with a number of outlets reporting that an agreement over a fee had already been reached, but the deal is not set in stone and Wolves can come in with a higher bid. It is not believed that they would need to trigger his release clause, which stands at €80m (£68m).

Lemina latest after missing out on Manu

If Wolves do make a formal offer for Cardoso, it is likely that he would be earmarked to replace Gabonese midfielder Lemina, who is expected to leave the club imminently after he was exiled from the team having refused to play in a recent match against Newcastle United. Last season’s Player of the Year is the subject of interest from Saudi Pro League side Al Shabab.

Wolves had expected to sign highly-rated midfielder Manu Silva from Portuguese club Vitoria, with numerous media outlets reporting that a deal had been agreed – but Manu joined Benfica instead at the last minute, leaving Wolves with work to do in order to find a new midfielder to play alongside Joao Gomes and Andre.

In other transfer news, Wolves continue to insist that star striker Mateus Cunha is not for sale in the face of interest from Arsenal and Nottingham Forest and a failure to get a new contract over the line.