Wolverhampton Wanderers are reportedly in talks with Greek giants Olympiacos to sign defender Ruben Semedo.
Wolves were beaten 1-0 by Midlands rivals Leicester City at the King Power Stadium in their first game of the new Premier League campaign. It also marked the first official game for new manager Bruno Lage, who has replaced Nuno Espirito Santo at Molineux.
Bruno Lage wants to add more players to his squad after bringing in the likes of Yerson Mosquera, Jose Sa and Francisco Trincao. According to The Sun, Wolves are interested in signing Olympiacos’ Ruben Semedo on a season-long loan with an option to buy.
Ruben Semedo, 27, a product of the Sporting Lisbon academy, joined Olympiacos from Villarreal in 2019 and won the Super League Greece and Cup double in his first season in Greece. The three-cap Portuguese international made 30 league appearances last season, helping Olympiacos clinch another league title.
However, it remains to be seen whether or not Wolves are granted a work permit for Semedo in the United Kingdom after he was slapped with a five-year suspended prison sentence and banned from entering Spain for eight years last July due to committing a series of criminal offences a few years ago.
Ruben Semedo to Wolves—A smart choice for Bruno Lage?
Wolves were uncharacteristically poor defensively under Nuno Espirito Santo last season, conceding 52 goals in 38 games. Conor Coady wasn’t at his best and made mistakes at the back. Willy Boly has struggled with injuries over the last two seasons, managing only 43 league appearances combined.
Romain Saiss was one of the rare bright sparks in an otherwise disappointing 2020/21 campaign for the Black County outfit. But he lacked a reliable and consistent partner at the back, with neither Coady nor Max Kilman proving to be that player.
And while Wolves have done well by signing the promising, young centre-back Yerson Mosquera from Atletico Nacional, Lage must now bring in an established player to boost his defensive options. With that said, a move for Ruben Semedo would make a lot of sense for Wolves.
After being somewhat of a nomad earlier in his career, Ruben Semedo has finally found a home in Olympiacos where he’s performed consistently and won back-to-back league titles. Standing close to 6ft 3ins tall, the Portuguese is a strong, aggressive and ball-playing centre-back who is very much in the mould to fit Lage’s style and he’s a proven winner too. He would undoubtedly add quality to Wolves’ defensive ranks, whilst bringing in competition within the squad.
The former Villarreal defender has got decent European experience as well and possesses the required qualities to thrive in the fast-paced nature of Premier League football. At 27, Semedo is entering the peak of his career and shouldn’t hesitate to challenge himself in one of the best leagues in world football.
For Wolves, Lage certainly can do with another central defender and Semedo could prove to be a smart addition this summer.