Wolverhampton Wanderers could be edging closer to solving one of their biggest squad issues, with reports linking the Old Gold to a new striker.
Gary O’Neil inherited the side that earned themselves the title of the Premier League’s lowest-scorers last season, as Wolves netted just 31 goals in 38 games in a campaign managed by Bruno Lage, Steve Davis and Julen Lopetegui.
With plenty of business expected to happen at Molineux before the transfer window slams shut on Friday, a host of problems could be solved should the club generate the money to capture reinforcements.
Who could Wolves sign this summer?
The overriding narrative of the transfer front in Wolverhampton is the future of Matheus Nunes, who could leave the club for Manchester City if the price is right for the Portuguese ace.
Earlier this week, transfer guru Fabrizio Romano claimed that the treble winners are hoping to strike a deal said to surpass the €60m (£51m) mark, in a move that could hand O’Neil the resources to strengthen his squad in numbers.
One area that could be fixed should funds arrive is the strike position, with Football Insider linking Leicester City forward Kelechi Iheanacho with a move to Molineux.
The report claimed that the Nigerian has been ‘shortlisted’ as a target for O’Neil’s side, in what could be a late swoop in the window to ease their woes in leading the line, with the player valued around £10.5m by FootballTransfers.
How good is Kelechi Iheanacho?
Having been hailed as “incredible” by his former manager Pep Guardiola, Iheanacho is a name familiar with followers of the Premier League, due to his 42 goals over the years while representing both Manchester City and Leicester.
At just 26-years-old, the striker has nearly 200 appearances in the English top tier under his belt, stemming from the academy at City where he first had a taste of football in England.
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Nine years down the line from his arrival from Taye Academy in his homeland, the Nigerian has a total of 82 goals representing English clubs, showcasing just how prolific he can be when in form.
Also previously lauded as a “special talent” by former Foxes and England striker Tony Cottee, the 26-year-old could be the perfect acquisition for Wolves to chase, in a player that could finally bring the goals to Molineux.
Integrating a striker with a host of experience in the Premier League already is an advantage for O’Neil, with little adaptation needed to get him accustomed to the challenges faced throughout the season.
The Old Gold have put in some strong performances so far this campaign, despite their woeful summer, however, the narrative remains that they struggle to capitalise on the impressive work they put in to create chances.
On the opening day at Old Trafford, O’Neil’s side registered a mammoth 23 shots on goal, six of which being on target, however left without a goal or a point to show for their efforts in the final third, via Sofascore.
To strengthen the striker's claim to what he could bring to Wolves, his numbers accumulated over the past year see him comparable to names as prolific as Harry Kane, Robert Lewandowski and Marcus Rashford, via FBref.
O’Neil could finally find the solution to his side’s woes in front of goal by capturing Iheanacho, who could break the chain and get the Old Gold scoring in the bid to improve overall performance.
