Wolves are one of several clubs looking to sign a Premier League-proven star on a free transfer this summer.
Wolves opted to replace Julen Lopetegui with former Bournemouth boss Gary O’Neil in August 2023, and he has not disappointed during his short tenure with the Midlands-based outfit. After 31 games of the 2023/24 Premier League season, Wolves sit on 42 points and 11th in the table.
They remain in with a great chance of securing some form of European football for the forthcoming campaign – they are only six points off a Europa Conference League place with a game in hand on 7th-place West Ham.
A key reason for Wolves’ success this campaign has been their clever spending. The Wanderers spent £80m on players during the last two transfer windows, including roughly £40m on Matheus Cunha, who has been their star man this term, chipping in with 11 goals and seven assists.
But if Wolves are to take their game to the next level, they will need to continue adding high-quality stars to their squad. Unlike some of the teams above them in the table, they are not flush with cash, and they need to be very smart about how and who they spend their money on.
One way Wolves can bolster their squad without spending too much money is through the free-agent market, with Leicester City midfielder Wilfred Ndidi among the players whose contracts are set to expire this summer.
Wolves ready to battle for £75,000-a-week Ndidi
According to a report from HITC, Wolves are one of several Premier League clubs keeping tabs on Leicester’s Wilfred Ndidi.
Ndidi is a proven Premier League talent, having notched 192 appearances in the competition with the Foxes. He also played a key role in Leicester clinching an FA Cup and Community Shield, with former manager Brendan Rodgers labelling Ndidi as an ‘incredible player’: “He is an incredible player. The offensive players get the credit but he does the dirty work.
“He has this brain for the game, where he can smell danger and always finds himself there. The timing of his challenge is very good and he’s up there with the top players at winning the ball back When you play a pressing game you need someone like Wilf. His passing is good too, he’s always smiling.”
But while the 27-year-old would no doubt make a fine addition to Wolves’ midfield, there are a couple of factors that may prevent O’Neil and Co landing Ndidi this summer.
Firstly, the report from HITC names all of Tottenham, Aston Villa, Newcastle United and Brighton as clubs who are also interested in signing the Nigerian. At least one of Tottenham and Aston Villa are expected to secure Champions League football for the 2024/25 season, which may prove a key negotiating factor when Ndidi’s contract comes up in the summer.
Secondly, Ndidi currently earns £75,000-a-week with Leicester and would likely expect a pay rise from his next club. Wolves, meanwhile, currently have just two players on their books earning more than £75,000-a-week in Pablo Sarabia and Nelson Semedo (£90k and £80k).
This means Wolves would likely have to break their current salary cap to land the midfielder. Should they do so, Ndidi would no doubt improve their midfield department, but at a hefty cost despite the lack of an initial transfer fee.
