Five Portuguese players that Wolves could be targeting this window

Wolves are yet to make any serious moves in the transfer market, and with the start of the new campaign just around the corner, many would expect some transfer dealings to happen sooner rather than later.

With a strong connection to Jorge Mendes, and with Nuno Espirito Santo at the helm, Wolves have a track record of signing Portuguese players, and that may still continue.

Nevertheless, it goes without saying that there is a significant chance that none of the players mentioned on this list will go on to sign for Wolverhampton Wanderers; after all, Wolves may well be looking to recruit some more home-grown players for the upcoming campaign, while most of the players mentioned on this list have not had any concrete links to the West Midlands club as yet.

They are, however, players that could well be on any shortlist of options that Wolves have drawn up, and would be logical and impressive signings for the Premier League outfit. As such, without further ado, let’s take a look at the players:

Ruben Vezo (Centreback - Levante)

It is quite a surprise that no outlets have attempted to link Ruben Vezo to Wolves up to this point - which does illustrate that Wolves have not shown any significant interest in the Portuguese centreback over the last couple of years. But he is such an elegant fit for the current Wolverhampton setup that it’s still quite intriguing that little has been said about a potential move to Molineux. Indeed, of all the possible Portuguese players that could be speculated to be on their way to Wolves this window, Vezo could well be the most plausible.

For starters, Vezo plays in a position that Wolves will surely be looking to strengthen this window. It may not be their absolute top priority, with right wingback certainly the major void that needs to be rectified, but as we saw with Wolves’ ambitious approach for Ruben Dias last summer, they want to add some top-class defensive cover to their ranks. And Vezo is a highly accomplished, cheaper option than that of his compatriot currently playing in Lisbon with Benfica.

What’s more, Ruben Vezo is a Gestifute client - ie. his agent is none other than the infamous Jorge Mendes, who Wolves have so often turned to to help with recruitment. After a very strong season with Levante - in which he was actually the best foreign-based Portuguese centreback of them all last season, according to WhoScored - Mendes will surely be looking at the options available to Vezo for the upcoming campaign, as he has proven that he is a defender that deserves to play at an even higher level with an even more prestigious club. Wolves may just be the perfect fit for him in that regard.

Age-wise, he fits the bill. just 26 years of age, any significant investment in him would be worthwhile, with many years at the top level still to come. He can also play at right back, so could offer some emergency cover at right wingback if neccessary, while he would obviously prefer to play on the right of a back three too, so would slot in nicely alongside Boly and Coady.

If that wasn’t enough to convince you that Vezo could be of interest, and use, to Wolves, it’s also worth bearing in mind that he represented Valencia before Levante - and actually played under Nuno Espirito Santo during the 2014-15 campaign. At the time he was still just 20 years of age, so was still on the fringes of the first team - but Nuno actually handed him 10 games across all competitions that season - 7 coming in the league, 4 of which came with a clean sheet - showing that he is a player Nuno appreciated and was willing to give a chance.

Vezo’s career may not have hit the heights many were hoping for as yet - shown by the fact that he is yet to play for the Portugal national team at senior level - but after a great season with Levante, he could well kick on and take his game to the next level.

He’s assured on the ball, reads the game well, and is strong both in aerial and ground defensive duals, and you would expect his game would only improve under the management of Nuno.

Ricardo Esgaio (Right wingback - SC Braga)

There is no question that Wolves really need to sign a right wingback this window, particularly after the departure of Matt Doherty to Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur, and with their pursuit of Arsenal’s Ainsley Maitland-Niles potentially having to come to an end, there’s a decent chance that Wolves could return to the Portuguese market to find a replacement, having had such success there in the past.

No secret has been made of the fact that Aurelio Buta of Royal Antwerp would be a terrific signing for Wolves, an ideal candidate to replace Doherty and one that would also come at a very reasonable cost, though he is currently injured for the coming weeks, which could well prevent any move for him this window. Additionally, English media have linked Thierry Correia to Wolves, although there are concerns that he simply isn’t ready to play in the English top flight regularly.

And so another player that fits the bill perfectly is Ricardo Esgaio. The right-sided Braga player has featured at right back, right wingback and as a right winger during his time at the club since joining from Sporting, which shows not only his versatility, but both his defensive and attacking capabilities.

Indeed, his defensive capabilities speak for themselves, but his excellent crossing ability added to his energy and endeavour down the right flank has made him a huge asset to Braga in an attacking sense too, and he is made for that right wingback role.

He has been integral to Braga for the past three seasons now, always one of the first names on the team sheet, a reliable presence who very rarely lets you down. He’s also got a good deal of experience of playing in a formation that utilises a back three, so has already been tested many times in that right wingback role, with Braga often adopting something of a 3-4-3 formation.

He’s also just 27, so would be worth the investment, and comes with plenty of experience not only in the Portuguese top flight, but in the Europa League too. He’d likely cost more than what Doherty was sold for, but he certainly wouldn’t break the bank. He would be a top addition for Wolves.

Joao Palhinha (Defensive midfielder - Sporting CP)

It is quite clear that Palhinha is holding out for a move to Wolves, and his desire to play in England, added to Wolves’ strong Portuguese connection, still makes Wolves the favourites to sign him - but as of yet, they haven’t shown a great deal of interest in the defensive midfielder, who is not too keen on a move to CSKA Moscow, the club that have been working the hardest to sign him so far.

In that sense, the ball is very much in Wolves’ court. As far as Portuguese press are concerned, Palhinha is on course to join Wolverhampton Wanderers this window, the club fully expected to sign him for 15 million euros. And it could just be a case of Wolves waiting until Sporting give the green light to make a move for him. Indeed, Sporting are hoping to only sell the defensive midfielder once the clause that sees Braga earn a significant percentage of his sale fee terminate later this month; only once that clause expires are Sporting expected to complete his departure.

Palhinha would undoubtedly be a very good acquisition for Wolves, adding some physicality in midfield and a tough-tackling player to offer some additional cover for the backline. He’s not limited in his footballing ability though, and will be able to keep the game ticking over from his deep midfield position.

He’s yet to be capped for Portugal, but just 25 years of age, there’s plenty of time for him to represent his nation at senior level.

Pizzi (Central midfielder/Right winger - SL Benfica)

Versatility is an incredibly useful trait for any footballer, but particularly for a team like Wolves managed by someone like Nuno Espirito Santo, who likes to have a small, tight-knit squad to work with. For that, Pizzi is an incredibly useful player to have, able to serve as a central midfielder, or on the right wing.

Wolves, of course, do not really need anymore wingers, with Diogo Jota, Pedro Neto, Daniel Podence and Adama Traore all in their ranks, though it can also be said that those first three name, though plenty versatile enough to play on the right, are predominantly left wingers. To have an additional right winger could therefore be a useful bonus, particularly if Adama Traore has to occasionally cover at right wingback.

But the fact that he can also play in central midfield is also incredibly useful; there are occasions where Wolves opt to play with a three in midfield, and since they are somewhat lacking in depth in this department, it could be very useful to bring in Pizzi who adds further creativity and attacking productivity.

Indeed, the 30-year old midfielder was truly sensational last campaign, scoring 30 goals and assisting 19 in 51 appearances across all competitions, remarkable statistics for the versatile right winger who finished as the Primeira Liga top assister and joint top scorer.

To contribute not only that level of creativity, but that clinical finishing in the opposition area to go with it is quite remarkable, and puts his statistics on par with that of Bruno Fernandes during his time at Sporting CP.

In fact, Pizzi’s record this season not only matched but surpassed that extraordinary season from Bruno Fernandes for Sporting in the 2018-19 campaign, when the now-Manchester United midfielder scored an incredible 32 goals, and grabbed a further 18 assists, in 53 games.

As a Gestifute client, there’s only further reason to think that Wolves could be his next destination, with Benfica willing to listen to offers upwards of 20 million euros for his services, knowing that this may well be the last window that they can sell him for some serious cash before his age significantly reduces his value.

Nelson Oliveira (Striker - AEK Athens)

There’s no doubt that Wolves are in need of a striker this window to add some cover, and potentially competition, for Raul Jimenez - and you can see this by the fact that they have considered a move for Paulinho, Braga’s star striker, but were put off by the high asking price, while Carlos Vinicius also remains a considerable target, though may only be brought in if Raul Jimenez leaves.

Nelson Oliveira is therefore a solid backup striker who Wolves know will be available for a very reasonable price and would be able to serve the role of backup striker very comfortably. With experience in England, the 29-year old further fits the bill of what Wolves will be looking for.

He had a terrific season in Greece last campaign, with 14 goals in 26 league games, and proved that he is an accomplished finisher, even if he did struggle for game time towards the end of his time at Norwich City.

Additionally, Oliveira is now into his final year of contract, meaning that AEK may well be willing to accept a lower offer that they were not willing to entertain back in January.

Ruben Vezo. Photo author: DSanchez17. License link.