Wolverhampton Wanderers are still sweating over Pedro Neto's future at the club but last summer's exodus has placed Molineux in a good position in regard to profit and sustainability.
This season, Gary O'Neil triumphed in instilling his philosophy in testing circumstances and tearing through the upper echelon of the Premier League to avoid relegation comfortably.
But much hinges on the owners and their investment plans this summer, with Neto and perhaps one or two others likely to sit at the heartland of transfer speculation. Moreover, compounding the problem, Old Gold supporters were left disconcerted by a steep hike in ticket pricing. A burst of positivity, it could be argued, is paramount.
Luckily, O'Neil is committed to improving his first team this summer and is pushing Wolves to fight rivals for an exciting Premier League star.
Wolves eyeing Premier League star
According to reports relayed by Yorkshire Post, Wolves are one of four top-flight teams set to make bids for Arsenal's Eddie Nketiah, with Fulham – who would be willing to pay £30m for the centre-forward – Wolves and Crystal Palace also in the mix.
Arsenal are fighting to secure the signature of RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko in a £55m deal, which would surely see the Englishman's intermittent opportunities limited further.
Mikel Arteta is a big fan of the 25-year-old but will reluctantly let him leave, and with O'Neil searching for firepower up front, this might just be the perfect move to make, though Wolves would need to match Fulham's prospective offer.
Eddie Nketiah's style of play
Once described as a "monster" by journalist Aaron Catterson-Reid, Nketiah has completed 168 appearances, scoring 38 goals, for Arsenal after graduating from the youth academy, enjoying a successful but fleeting loan spell with Leeds United and even earning his first international cap for England.
This season, however, despite netting a brilliant hat-trick against Sheffield United in October in the Premier League, the 5 foot 9 striker was restricted to just six substitute displays onward from February, clearly not included at the heart of Arteta's ambitious plans.
Nketiah had also netted in two of Arsenal's opening three top-flight fixtures but as Kai Havertz went from strength to strength so too did the Nketiah's match action suffer diminishment. With Sesko fiercely pursued and Gabriel Jesus vying for a place at No. 9, Wolves' target is clearly heading toward the exit in north London.
But Wolves want his signature for a reason. As per FBref, Nketiah ranks among the top 9% of forwards across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for touches in the attacking penalty area per 90 and the top 12% for pass completion, highlighting his strength as a frontal focal point and his ball-playing skill.
The £100k-per-week star is blessed with natural athletic prowess and all the tools to succeed as the leading man at a Premier League team, and while Wolves have been widely reported to be closing in on a move for Southampton's Che Adams, who is out of contract at St. Mary's this month, signing a player of Nketiah's ilk would be a major win.
Nketiah could lead the line for years to come at Molineux, providing O'Neil with a reliable goal threat to avoid the dreaded drop zone and instead tear through the division and toward the upper end.
Why Wolves are interested in Eddie Nketiah
There's perhaps a tacit outward air at Molineux that suggests Neto is going to leave this summer. The Portugal winger still has three years on his current deal but £60m is no small sum and sharp strategic transfer moves could make such an influx of cash worthwhile.
But of course, Nketiah is not a winger, and thus would not be a direct replacement for Neto, should he leave. Instead, the Gunners ace could find himself taking Matheus Cunha's role in the Old Gold first team, with the Brazilian attracting attention after his resounding 2023/24 campaign.
As per The Mirror, Manchester United are hot on the £60m-rated Cunha's trail and are even prepared to double his £60k-per-week salary. It's early days but if Sir Jim Ratcliffe's nosing-around turns into concrete interest, it might be hard for Wolves to turn the lucrative suitor away.
And there is no point denying that it would feel like a detrimental blow. Cunha has been positively magnificent this season, raising his game considerably and now ranking among the top 10% of forwards across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for pass completion, the top 12% for progressive passes, the top 5% for progressive carries, the top 3% for successful take-ons and the top 14% for tackles per 90.
Matches played
17
32
Matches started
12
29
Goals
2
12
Assists
0
7
G/A rate
0.12
0.59
Pass completion
76%
82%
Big chances created
1
7
Shots per game
1.5
2.3
Key passes per game
0.4
0.9
Dribbles per game
1.5 (76%)
2.0 (51%)
Duels won per game
3.6 (41%)
5.0 (43%)
He's been pretty good, and while there are myriad benefits to partnering Nketiah with the Brazilian, O'Neil's transfer target is technically proficient and is mutable in his playing style, capable of adopting a dynamic role that, yes, focusses on his goalscoring but also incorporates creativity and enhances team synergy.
Praised for his "incredible impact" and as a "beast" by his Arsenal manager, Nketiah is of course aware of his bit-part place in the Emirates machine, and given that he is now entering the prime of his career, surely he should prioritise playing time. His hat-trick this season emphasises the importance of finding a place to properly showcase his skills.
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At Wolves, he would not only find a platform to impress but a launchpad to rise to a position of prominence in the Premier League. If Cunha leaves, he will be a worthy successor.
