Wolverhampton Wanderers will kick off their preseason tour fixtures on Saturday ahead of the new Premier League season. They will be hoping to improve on their impressive 14th-place finish during the 2023/24 campaign, which saw them end up just three points behind Crystal Palace in tenth and a top-half finish.
Gary O’Neil’s side will play three preseason games during their tour of the United States of America, as well as one game at Molineux. Firstly, they will face Premier League rivals West Ham to start their preseason. That is the club they recently sold their former captain Max Kilman to, for a fee of £40m.
Their second game in the USA will see them face another Premier League side, in the form of Oliver Glasner’s Palace. Their tour of the States comes to a close with a game against RB Leipzig before Wolves close things out with a game at Molineux. The Midlands club are set to host Spanish outfit Rayo Vallecano, the weekend before their top-flight opener against Arsenal.
There is no doubt that Wolves need to strengthen their squad this summer, in order to push for a top-half finish next season. Preseason could be the ideal time to bed in one rumoured new signing.
Wolves target South American winger
The player in question here is young Paraguayan winger Gabriel Aguayo. The 19-year-old has impressed during his short time in the first-team fold at his club Cerro Porteno, and has now been linked with a move away this summer.
According to journalist Angel Elian, the player’s agent, Jani Delmas, confirmed that there have already been contacts made with the Midlands side. Elian explained that Delmas claims there “is a following from Wolves” as well as sides in Brazil and Argentina, countries famed for turning talents from South America into household names across the world.
This quote from Delmas is consistent with a report from Express reporter Charlie Gordon this week, who claims that the Molineux club have been 'keeping tabs' on the young winger, theorising that boss O’Neil would 'naturally welcome' a signing such as Aguayo.
In terms of a price, Aguayo is thought to cost around £3m this summer, if a deal is to go through. However, it remains to be seen if Wolves will make a bid or not.
How Aguayo can replicate Joao Gomes
At just 19 years of age, there is much to be excited about when looking at Aguayo. During his first season in professional football, he put up some impressive numbers, grabbing one goal and registering four assists in 13 games for Cerro Porteno, in just 748 minutes.
He largely operated on the right wing, although did play once as a centre-forward. However, all of his goal involvements came from the right-hand side, which is his natural position and where we can expect him to feature for Wolves.
Should the Molineux side bring Aguayo to the club this summer, he could have a similar impact at the club to Joao Gomes. Like the potential deal for the 19-year-old Paraguayan, Gomes was brought in on a 'cheap' deal from South America, for just £15m from Brazilian side Flamengo.
He has since gone on to be a key player under O’Neil and was a crucial element of his side’s exploits in the Premier League last season – now subsequently coveting interest amid reports of a £50m price tag.
Stat
Premier League
FA Cup
Carabao Cup
Games
34
3
1
Minutes
2659
189
17
Goals
2
0
0
Assists
1
0
0
Yellow cards
11
0
0
Wolves’ past success at bringing in a youngster from South America could certainly encourage them to repeat the masterstroke if they decide to go ahead and sign Aguayo. They have already signed Pedro Lima from Sport Recife, a Brazilian second-division side, for £8.5m this summer.
Given how easily Gomes has settled in at Molineux, signing Aguayo could be too good of a deal for the Midlands club to turn down. It would be a shrewd piece of business given their track record and the fact he is available for just £3m.
More creative than Ait-Nouri: Wolves explore move for £3m Neto replacement
Gary O’Neil is targeting another teenage signing after Pedro Lima…
ByRoss KilvingtonJul 24, 2024