Wolves strike gold in 'underdog' star valued at £20m more than Adams

Wolverhampton Wanderers have endured a poor run of form when they need consistency to finish in the top half of the Premier League.

Despite spending big in recent years with the club signing the likes of Joao Gomes (£15m), Matheus Nunes (£42.2m) and Goncalo Guedes (£27.5m), it is clear that Gary O'Neil will be cut short. summer.

“I don't think there will be money if nobody leaves,” said the manager in a press conference last week.

“Of course these things can change, so I'm not committing to both, but I wouldn't expect it to be a summer where we spend millions of club money buying players. I think it won't be the same as last year when we had to sell luggage and make a big profit, but I wouldn't expect it to be a waste of money.”

It could be a long summer for the Molineux faithful in terms of potential, but could O'Neil be closing in on his first signing?

Wolves to convey news

With it looking like O'Neil will have to turn to signings and free transfers this summer, it looks like they are closing in on a deal for Southampton striker Che Adams.

This was reported by Football Insider, who said talks are progressing between Adams and Old Gold. His contact with the south coast expires next month, meaning O'Neil will be able to strengthen his squad without spending a single penny on transfer fees.

Football Insider revealed that the striker was on their radar during the January transfer window, however no move was ever seen as he stayed with the Saints until the end of the season.

The report also claims that Wolves are looking to beat a number of clubs to sign him in the coming weeks, and it could be smart business.

Wolves currently have a number of forwards who have enjoyed great seasons at the club in 2023/24. One is currently worth over £20m more than Adams currently – Matheus Cunha.

Matheus Cunha's form for Wolves this season

The Brazilian arrived from Atlético Madrid in January 2023, initially on loan, but will join the club for around £35m at the end of the season.

Two goals in his first 17 Premier League games has not been impressive, but the midfielder has been adjusting to English football as his form has been impressive.

In 35 games in all competitions, Cunha has found the net 14 times, while also providing eight assists, leading the club's goalscoring team with one goal from Hwang Hee-Chan.

Although his goals have helped Old Gold impress during spells this season, Cunha's performance is not based on this one metric. Indeed, compared to elite peers in Europe's top five leagues, the 24-year-old currently ranks in the top 3% in take-off (2.36) and carry-improvement (3.99) per 90, while ranking in the top 10. Assist % (0.27) out of 90, showing how valuable he is when he connects with teammates and takes on opposing defenders.

This impressive form could see O'Neil face a headache, especially if interest in the former Atlético forward begins to increase.

According to Football Transfers, his current value is €29.1m (£25m) and this could rise if he continues his current form next season.

Could he be traded to finance his future signings? Or will Wolves finally land the player hailed as “underrated” by football talent scout Jacek Kulig during his time with Hertha Berlin in 2020.

Adams may not be a marquee name, but he has plenty of Premier League experience and this could be a good addition to the squad going into next season.

Che Adams market value

During his time with the Saints, Adams scored 48 goals in 190 games, with 25 coming in the top flight.

This suggests that he is not exactly a top striker, but he does offer some qualities that could be a good asset to O'Neil in the top flight.

Although he is used mostly as a forward, Adams has been used on any other team during his playing career, which shows that he can be flexible when needed.

In addition, Adams likes to move the ball forward at all times, ranking in the top 5% of his peers for continuous passes per 90 (3.46) while ranking in the top 25% of assists per 90 (0.16), proof of his success. he likes to coordinate play with others while also trying to create opportunities for his teammates.

This season he has been his top scorer since 2018/19, scoring 17 times while registering six assists in all competitions for the Saints.

Despite this run of form, the Scotland international is currently valued at €6.4m (£5.5m) according to Football Transfers, which is around £20m less than Cunha's market value at the time of writing.

This indicates that the Old Gold have a player who is not only more suitable than Adams, but if he can progress in the future, he will command a decent amount of money, especially if he maintains his form.

Unless big offers come in for their key players, O'Neil will have to resort to bargain shopping this summer, which could mean making the top half of the Premier League table next season could be very difficult.

There is a good core to the current Wolves squad, however if it is dismantled before the 2024/25 campaign, it could take more than one transfer window.

O'Neil is indeed stuck between a rock and a hard place, but his clever tactics have seen Old Gold get some good results this term, meaning he is the right man to lead next season.