According to a recent report by BBC, Wolverhampton Wanderers are close to securing a deal to lure Monaco midfielder, Joao Moutinho, to the Molineux Stadium. The Premier League newcomers are willing to roll out a transfer fee of £5m for Moutinho and as per the report, the deal will be finalised in a couple of days.
Moutinho has been on the radar of Wolves since January and it is believed that the Portuguese international’s agent, Jorge Mendes, has worked as an adviser to the English outfit. Wolves engineered their promotion to the Premier League in the grandest manner as they lifted the Championship title and thus secured an automatic promotion spot. Under the stewardship of Nuno Espirito Santo, Wolves have certainly looked appealing.
Considering that they are due to face the best clubs in the country this season in the top flight, they are going to need quality players in their arsenal. Espirito Santo has already signed the likes of Diogo Jota, Rui Patricio, Willy Boly and Leo Bonatini to beef up his arsenal. To inject resilience into their midfield, someone like Moutinho could come as a handy asset.
The 31-year-old emerged through the youth ranks of Portimonense and Sporting CP and was eventually promoted to the senior side of the latter. His dazzling displays with the Lions persuaded Porto to make him sign on the dotted line and after that, he joined Ligue 1 side, Monaco, in the summer of 2013. He is an experienced campaigner and is the third-most capped player in his country’s history.
In 33 appearances in the French top division for Monaco last season, Moutinho scored 1 goal and registered 6 assists. Further, he garnered 2 tackles, 1.1 interceptions, 1.5 clearances and 0.4 blocks per game on an average. His pass completion rate of 86.3% was also commendable. He is capable of plying his trade as a central midfielder, central attacking midfielder as well as a central defensive midfielder and passing the ball with precision is unarguably one of his strongest suits.
He makes a significant amount of defensive contributions when he is on the pitch and he reads the attacking endeavours of the opposition brilliantly. Besides, he is a tough tackler, has the know-how to create chances and works tirelessly across the pitch to turn the tide in favour of his employers. Moutinho is set to ink a two-year deal with Wolves and in all honesty, it could turn out to be a game-changer for the club.
Statistics Credits: WhoScored