Wolves 're-enter race' to sign £26m-rated wonderkid on Real Madrid's transfer radar
Wolves are in the market to sign a defender Vitor Pereira knows well
Wolverhampton Wanderers have emerged as one of the leading contenders to sign Brazilian defender Robert Renan, according to reports.
Renan is a 21-year-old defender, currently starring for Zenit St Petersburg in the Russian Premier League, but has spent the last two seasons of his career out on loan; first playing for Internacional in Brazil and most recently linking up with Saudi Pro League outfit Al Shabab and helping the team to a sixth place finish.
The centre back, who was born in Brasília; the country’s capital city, had been linked with a move back to his homeland Bahia. However, it now appears manager Roger Ceni’s attempts to land the player have stalled slightly as Renan assesses his options in Europe.
Wolves hope to hijack Robert Renan transfer
As reported by Globo Esporte, Renan had been on the verge of sealing an 18-month loan deal to join Bahia. Documents had been exchanged and the player had reportedly verbally agreed to the move. However, Wolves have thrown a spanner in the works, which has left the player questioning his next move as he weighs up the possibility of playing in the Premier League.
Journalist André Hernan broke news Wolves have now re-entered the race, having also shown interest in a previous window. It’s claimed the pursuit of the young defender is being initiated directly by manager Vitor Pereira, who has urged the club’s recruitment team to try and get a deal over the line.
Why Wolves are interested in Robert Renan
Wolves statistically were one of the worst defensive teams in the division last season. They made rapid improvements after Pereira replaced Gary O’Neil mid-season, but still have work to do if they are to once again compete at the upper echelons of the division. Renan is seen by Pereira as the calibre of footballer that can help Wolves achieve that. He’s just 21-years-old, has excellent potential and has already earned a good reputation in the game.
He started out at Corinthians in 2022/23, featuring 10 times in the league before earning a move to Zenit mid-season in January. He’s played 13 league matches for the Russian club and was a surprise inclusion in the Brazil squad under interim manager Ramon Menezes for a friendly against Morocco, although he failed to make it onto the pitch. Renan has played for Brazil at Under-18, Under-20 and Under-23 level, making 22 appearances across those different age groups. He played regularly in the Saudi Pro League last year for Al Shabab with 35 appearances, contributing three assists.
He’s primarily a centre-back but can also cover in the left-back position on occasion when needed, which could prove useful following Rayan Ait-Nouri’s exit to Manchester City. VPereira, of course, managed the player at Al Shabab before joining the Old Gold and is familiar with his qualities, having also given his debut at Corinthians as well. It’s not yet clear how much Wolves would need to pay to sign Renan. Nor is it clear whether the club are looking for a loan deal or permanent option. However, it’s worth noting that he’s long been regarded as a good footballer in Brazil, and also that Real Madrid once showed interest in him in 2022, according to a report from TNT Sport, with the outlet at the time giving him a value of £26m.