Wolverhampton Wanderers head into the final few weeks of the season with a genuine chance of securing a top half finish in the Premier League.
At the start of the season, you could forgive supporters for worrying that the Old Gold would be closer to the relegation zone than the European places, given the timing of Julen Lopetegui's departure, but under the astute management of Gary O’Neil, they have exceeded expectations.
With fixtures against Manchester City, Arsenal, and Liverpool to come between now and the end of the season, the Molineux side could find it tough to finish in the top half of the table.
Recent weeks have seen the club struggle due to the absence of players such as Pedro Neto, Hwang Hee-Chan, and Matheus Cunha, as O’Neil’s attacking options have been a big part of their recent resurgence.
The summer transfer window is fast approaching, giving the former Bournemouth manager an ideal chance to bolster his squad ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.
Wolves transfer news
The club sold a few players last summer for big fees, including Ruben Neves and Matheus Nunes as they battled to comply with financial fair play regulations.
This could perhaps impact their transfer business in the summer window, although they have been linked with a Bundesliga attacker recently.
According to sources at GIVEMESPORT, it appears Wolves are showing interest in Wolfsburg striker Jonas Wind and are contemplating whether or not to make a move for the player during the summer.
The Old Gold will have to shell out a fee for him if they wish to bring Wind to the Premier League due to the striker having two years remaining on his current contract.
If they could perhaps sell a player, then O’Neil may be able to raise sufficient funds in order to bolster his attack.
Current first-team star Hwang arrived at Wolves from the Bundesliga and the English boss could repeat that masterclass from the club, should he sign the Dane this summer, as another talented attacker from the German top-flight.
How much Hwang Hee-Chan cost Wolves
During the 2021 summer transfer window, Bruno Lage signed Hwang on a season-long loan from RB Leipzig. The South Korean had scored 45 goals in 126 appearances for RB Salzburg which led to the move to the German top flight, but he did struggle in Germany.
During his only full season at Leipzig, Hwang scored just three goals and grabbed four assists, leading to his loan move to Wolves.
Technical director at the time, Scott Sellars, praised the forward, saying: “He had a fantastic goal scoring record at Salzburg and will give us a good option in the front areas.
“He’s got a good pedigree, having played Champions League football and at a World Cup. He’s got a lot of pace, power and strength – he’s probably a little bit different to what we’ve got, and we think he’s a strong acquisition for the squad.
After just six months at the club, Wolves exercised their option to sign him on a permanent deal, costing just £14m after an impressive start to life in the Midlands.
Hwang Hee-Chan’s statistics for Wolves
During his spell at Wolves, the former Leipzig forward has made 87 appearances for the club, scoring 20 goals and chipping in with seven assists.
This season has been a big turning point however, finally emerging as a consistent goal scorer. Indeed, he is level with Cunha on 11 goals this term, the most of any player in the squad, and this would arguably have been more had he not suffered an injury recently.
Season
Games
Goals
Assists
2023/24
24
11
3
2022/23
32
4
3
2021/22
31
5
1
Via Transfermarkt
Among his teammates, Hwang currently ranks second for goals and assists (13) in the top flight this term, while also ranking third for shots on target per game (0.6), fourth for big chances created (four) and for successful dribbles per game (1.5), showing how influential he has been all season.
A move for Wind could give Wolves another excellent attacking option, while replicating the Hwang masterclass in the process.
Jonas Wind’s stats for Wolfsburg this season
The 6ft 3 marksman has impressed for the Bundesliga side throughout the 2023/24 campaign, scoring nine goals and registering seven assists for his club, while adding another goal and assist in the DFB-Pokal.
While Hwang tends to operate across the front three, Wind is more of an out-and-out striker, preferring to operate in a central role whenever possible.
According to WhoScored, Wind’s strengths include through balls and aerial duels, indicating how strong he is in the air, while the striker likes to do flick-ons and plays the ball off the ground on a regular basis.
The Dane is currently ranked in the top 20% when compared to his positional peers for aerial duels won per 90 (3.16) in Europe’s top five leagues, further evidence of how strong he is when the ball is delivered into the opposition penalty area.
While the likes of Neto, Cunha, and Hwang have effectively contributed this term, Wolves lack a proper out-and-out striker, which is where Wind could add so much to their squad.
Football writer Seb Stafford-Bloor praised the 25-year-old towards the end of last year during a game against Darmstadt, saying: “That Wolfsburg goal really showed how good Jonas Wind is at seeing what’s around him. Too strong for his centre-back and too clever for Darmstadt with the layoff to Majer. Brilliant bit of play.”
On the surface, Wind looks like a player who could really shine in the Premier League, especially following his wonderful season for Wolfsburg.
His aerial ability, combined with a keen eye for goal – 67 goals across 185 senior matches – shows that his style of play could allow him to settle in fairly well should he make the move to Molineux this summer.
Injuries to the aforementioned trio over the previous few weeks have seen Wolves struggle of late, showing how much they rely on them to score. Adding another striker to the squad could see the pressure taken off of them heading into next season.
Much will depend on how much Wind could cost, especially with the club aiming to balance their books, but if the fee is realistic, then there is no doubt O’Neil should be making a concrete offer.
