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Manchester United have posted losses of £113 million but are confident they are compliant with Premier League Profit and Sustainability Rules.

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• Man Utd announce huge losses
• Club confident about meeting PSR rules
• Not worried about a points deduction

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Red Devils have announced huge losses for 2023-24 in their latest accounts. United posted a net loss of £113.2 million ($147m) and have now made a loss for the last five years in a row. However, the club are confident they are compliant with the Premier League's spending rules, and will therefore not face a points deduction, because not all their losses fall under PSR calculations. United have invested in many sectors that are considered to be "allowable losses" under PSR such as youth development, women's football, the club's infrastructures and community projects, according to Sporting News. The Red Devils also posted record total revenues of £661.8m ($862.4m), which are predicted to rise next year.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Premier League clubs including Everton and Nottingham Forest have already been hit with points deductions for breaching PSR rules. Clubs are not allowed to lose more than £105m ($136.8m) over a three-year period. United's account show they have exceeded that limit, but the club believe they are compliant because of where the money has been invested.

• WHAT MAN UTD HAVE SAID

  Chief executive officer Omar Berrada said in a statement: "The club remains committed to, and in compliance with, both the Premier League's Profit and Sustainability Rules and UEFA's Financial Fair Play regulations."

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  Manchester United have recently sold academy graduate Scott McTominay to Napoli in a transfer that appears to have been made to help comply with PSR rules. The midfielder moved on a deal worth €30.5 million (£25.4m/$33.6m) and the sale will go into the books as 'pure profit.'

Nottingham Forest have caught the eye for their heavy investment since promotion back to the Premier League for the 2022/23 season.

The club secured a return to England's top-flight for the first time in 23 years after a sensational season under Steve Cooper, with the club needing widespread additions to avoid an immediate return to the Championship.

The club have completed 34 signings since promotion – the most of any side in the top division – with the additions coming at a cost, with the Reds being hit with a four-point deduction for breaching the Premier League's PSR rules by £34.5m for the 2022/23 season.

Despite the huge investment, owner Evangelos Marinakis was also known for his erratic spending in the Championship, with the club splashing £13.2m on Benfica youngster Joao Carvalho.

However, it was the signing of another player a couple of years later that triggered the Reds' current financial woes…

Harry Arter's stats at Nottingham Forest

After scoring a phenomenal goal for Fulham to derail Forest's play-off push in 2019/20, the Reds decided to pursue a deal for Irish midfielder Harry Arter.

In the summer of 2020, the club agreed a £5m deal with Bournemouth for the box-to-box playmaker, with the hopes he would provide valuable experience in the club's promotion push.

However, the deal would be a complete disaster for both parties, as Arter failed to make any lasting impact under Chris Hughton during the 2020/21 season.

He would only feature a total of 14 times for the Reds, in a season where Hughton's side could only muster a 17th-placed finish after the heavy investment the summer prior.

Upon the return of supporters for 2021/22, Arter was nowhere to be in Hughton's squad, with the arrival of Cooper unable to change the former Bournemouth man's fortunes.

He would subsequently be sent out on two loans to Charlton Athletic and National League side Notts County during the promotion-winning campaign, with the Irishman only making 15 appearances over the two spells.

The failed temporary moves away from the City Ground were evidence the 34-year-old wasn't up to scratch for the Premier League-bound Reds, but to compound their misery, the promotion triggered an automatic one-year contract extension for the midfielder, keeping him on the books until the end of 2023/24.

Harry Arter's wage at Nottingham Forest

Nearly five years on from his move to the East Midlands, the flop still rakes in a reported £41k-per-week, as per Salary Sport, despite not featuring for the club since the start of 2021.

During his time with the Reds, Arter has pocketed £4.3m in wages alone, but when coupled with his £5m move, it sees the total cost of the deal rise to £9.3m – a staggering total of £664k per appearance.

With his contract set to expire in the summer, owner Marinakis will be glad to see the back of the one-time Premier League talent who has bled him dry over the course of his time in Nottingham.

Whilst the club have had their fair share of terrible additions since promotion, Arter will undoubtedly go down as one of the Reds' worst-ever signings, with his mammoth earnings having a huge impact on the club's recent PSR breach.

Nottingham Forest must rue not hiring "incredible" manager ahead of Nuno

The club made a huge mistake not hiring him…

By
Ethan Lamb

May 1, 2024

England's interim manager Lee Carsley has sent a clear message to Arsenal's Ben White regarding his England future.

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• White ruled himself out of England duty in 2022
• Carsley will not contact Arsenal defender
• Claims responsibility lies with 26-year-old

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Speaking to reporters after a comfortable 2-0 Nations League win over Finland, England's new interim boss claimed he had "not planned" to contact White. This was after the Arsenal defender reportedly ruled himself out of selection following widespread rumours about a disagreement with former boss Gareth Southgate's assistant Steve Holland. There may be a new man at the helm now, but Carsley claims it's up to White to make himself available again.

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• WHAT CARSLEY SAID

  Asked about White's potential availability, Carsley said: "I've not planned to [contact him], no. We spoke about this in the squad selection. Every player that's eligible to play for England is in with a chance. As far as I was aware, he was asked to be not contacted. So, if that changes, then that'll change."

  He added when asked if the onus is on White to come forward if he wants to play for his country again: "I think it is important that we've got real competition all over the pitch and the more players we've got available to pick from, the better it is."

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Even if White is recalled to the England squad to add to his four international caps at some stage, his first task will be battling with Trent Alexander-Arnold for the right-back spot. Liverpool's creative full-back has impressed after starting both of Carsley's first two matches in this position, and it has been suggested he could even keep Kyle Walker out of the team for the foreseeable future.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR CARSLEY?

  While White ponders whether to reach out to the new England boss, Carsley has more work to do. The 50-year-old has started his interim tenure with solid 2-0 wins over the Republic of Ireland and Finland, but now his attention will turn to the upcoming international break in October. "I'm thinking about the game tonight, but it wasn't long after coming off the pitch where I was thinking 'right, I need to start thinking about next one now'," said Carsley.

There are just two weekends to go, and as things stand, Arsenal are still well within a chance of lifting their first Premier League title in two decades.

Mikel Arteta's side seem to have learned from last year's end-of-season collapse and look ready to fight for the final six points against Manchester United and Everton.

Alongside Sporting Director Edu Gaspar, the Spaniard has totally rejuvenated the north Londoners over the last few years by binning the old guard and ushering in a swathe of hungry young talents like Martin Odegaard, Declan Rice and Kai Havertz.

However, one of the most influential stars in the squad, William Saliba, was signed under former manager Unai Emery, and based on recent reports, the club might be about to complete a deal similar to the one that landed the talented Frenchman in 2019.

Arsenal transfer news

According to the latest episode of transfer expert Fabrizio Romano's Here We Go podcast (via TEAMtalk), Arsenal are now "pushing" to sign Ajax's incredibly exciting and highly rated young centre-back Jorrel Hato.

Romano explains that while the Amsterdam outfit are "hoping to keep Hato at the club in the summer", the Gunners "are still pushing on Hato, and they believe they are frontrunners in the race to sign him."

The Italian also clarified that while the Dutch giants aren't keen to let him go this year, a deal could still materialise if the north Londoners "make it happen" as they consider the defender a "priority" transfer.

Romano does not mention a price, but in November last year, journalist Suleyman Öztürk told Dutch website SoccerNews that he expects the youngster to be sold for around €100m, which is about £86m.

It would undoubtedly represent a hefty investment from Arsenal were they to go ahead with this deal, but with similarities to the Saliba transfer, it might just be worth it.

How Hato compares to William Saliba

Now, while it would be absurd to hold the 18-year-old Hato up to the standard of a 22-year-old Saliba, who has been playing in a top-five European league for his entire professional career, there are some apparent similarities between the two.

For starters, when the Gunners were keen on landing the young Frenchman back in 2019, there was plenty of hype, excitement and competition for his signature, with Tottenham Hotspur reportedly one of their main competitors at the time.

This time, the Gunners may have to battle with Liverpool to land the "fantastic player", as described by teammate Jordan Henderson, if reports from the start of the season are to be believed.

The second similarity is simply the fact that when the Gunners star was the Dutchman's age, he was also seen as the next big thing, with Fabio Frasconi, his former coach, describing him as "monstrous" back in 2019.

Lastly, while it's impossible to say whether the "insane" gem, as described by U23 scout Antonio Mango, will reach the levels of Arsenal's number two, his underlying numbers from this season are more impressive than the Bondy-born star's were from the season before he signed for Emery.

For example, the Rotterdam-born ace produces a higher non-penalty expected goal and assists figure, maintains a higher passing accuracy, makes considerably more passes, produces more progressive passes and carries, takes more shots, completes more key passes, produces substantially more shot and goal-creating actions, wins more aerial duels, and makes more blocks, all per 90.

However, while the comparison is incredibly one-sided, the younger Saliba did make more tackles, interceptions, clearances and ball recoveries per 90 than his potential new teammate, although that could have more to do with their respective teams.

Ultimately, while it's quite the comparison to live up to, there are undeniable similarities between the potential deal for Hato and the one for Saliba almost five years ago, and if Arsenal have a chance to secure the Dutchman's signature this summer, they must take it.

Arsenal in pursuit of "world-class" Havertz upgrade who wants a PL move

The incredible talent could totally transform Arsenal’s attack.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

May 9, 2024

Matthew McConaughey has laid down a marker to fellow Hollywood co-owners, such as Ryan Reynolds, by finding the top corner with a shot at Austin FC.

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• Stake acquired in expansion outfit back in 2019
• One of several famous faces involved in soccer
• Has showcased talent with a ball at his feet

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Oscar-winning actor acquired a minority stake in the Texas-based franchise back in 2019 – ahead of them forming part of MLS expansion plans in 2021. McConaughey is a big sports fan and can regularly be found attending Washington Commanders games in NFL and tennis action at the US Open.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  He is now one of several famous faces that fill soccer boardrooms around the globe, with the likes of Reynolds, Michael B Jordan, Will Ferrell and Natalie Portman treading similar paths at Wrexham, Bournemouth, Leeds, LAFC and Angel City FC.

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  Red Dragons co-chairman Reynolds showed over the summer, when promoting his latest Deadpool movie, that he knows his way to the back of a net – with a penalty hammered home during a visit to Brazil. McConaughey has gone one better by picking out the top corner with a stunning strike from the edge of the box.

The winger, who will be a free agent next summer, created one goal and then scored a stunner as Arne Slot's side beat their Italian visitors 2-0

When are Liverpool going to get Mohamed Salah tied down to a new contract?! Because the Egyptian's renewal can't come soon enough. As the Egyptian King once again underlined in Wednesday night's Champions League win over Bologna, the Reds would be lost without their talisman.

The game at Anfield ultimately ended in a comfortable 2-0 victory for the hosts but Arne Slot's side had been made to sweat for long periods of the game, with their Italian opponents twice striking the woodwork during the first half.

However, Salah proved decisive, as he so often does. The winger created the game's opening goal for Alexis Mac Allister before sealing a second successive Champions League win for Liverpool in this season's league phase with a classic curling finish with 15 minutes to go.

Below, GOAL rates all of the Reds on show as Salah stepped up once again on another disappointing night for Darwin Nunez…

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  Goalkeeper & Defence

  Alisson Becker (7/10):

  Came up big to keep out a fine effort from Kacper Urbanski and also made a decent stop from Riccardo Orsoloni.

  Trent Alexander-Arnold (6.5/10):

  Bologna definitely targeted the right-back, who was also a little loose in possession in dangerous areas at times, but Alexander-Arnold made some brilliant bursts forward and it was his overlap that created space for Salah to score Liverpool's second.

  Ibrahima Konate (7/10):

  Made a brave block that deflected a Dan Ndoye effort up onto the bar during the first half and also impressed with his passing.

  Virgil van Dijk (7/10):

  Got a little annoyed after being booked for a silly foul on Thijs Dallinga but was otherwise his usually composed self in the centre of defence.

  Andy Robertson (5/10):

  Not a great evening for the Scot, who was replaced with 20 minutes to go. Didn't get forward as much as he would have liked as Bologna did a lot of good work down Liverpool's left and also picked up a needless yellow for a shirt-pull on Stefan Posch.

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  Midfield

  Ryan Gravenberch (7.5/10):

  Aside from the odd lapse, the Dutchman was once again excellent in midfield, tidy defensively and always progressive with his passing. Also won the ball back more than any other Liverpool player (nine times in total).

  Alexis Mac Allister (7.5/10):

  His finish couldn't have been easier but the always-busy Argentine started the move that ended with him scoring his first goal of the season. Work rate and reading of the game fantastic as usual.

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  Attack

  Mohamed Salah (8.5/10):

  Mishit a couple of attempted crosses in the first half but the ball he played in for Mac Allister to convert was inch-perfect. His goal was also beautifully measured. Just a class act that Liverpool can't afford to lose at the end of the season.

  Dominik Szoboszlai (7.5/10):

  Went close with a well-struck effort early and was lively throughout in an attacking midfield role that he clearly enjoys, with the Hungarian finding Salah in space before the Egyptian's strike.

  Luis Diaz (7/10):

  As usual, his dribbling caused the opposition all sorts of problems and looked like he was about to score a stunning solo goal just before he was taken off.

  Darwin Nunez (4/10):

  Hooked on the hour mark after contributing little to the game other than yet another disallowed goal after mistiming his run. Remains such a frustrating forward and we've yet to see any evidence that Slot knows how to get the best out of him.

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  Subs & Manager

  Diogo Jota (6/10):

  Took over up front from Nunez and carried a greater goal-scoring threat.

  Kostas Tsimikas (6/10):

  Came on at left-back for Robertson and didn't put a foot wrong.

  Cody Gakpo (N/A):

  Introduced in place of Luis Diaz in the 71st minute but didn't get a clear sight of goal.

  Conor Bradley (N/A):

  His usual late cameo.

  Conor Jones (N/A):

  Only on for the last five minutes alongside Bradley.

  Arne Slot (7/10):

  The Dutchman has rarely deviated from his preferred starting line-up so far this season – but then, why would he? The team is both gelling well and winning regularly. Nunez's form will have been the one ongoing cause for concern on another positive night for Slot, but he needs to get his bosses to sort Salah's future out as soon as possible.

A late resurgence ended an otherwise frustrating Premier League season on a more positive note at Chelsea, who have now turned their attention towards sealing their first arrival of the summer.

Chelsea transfer news

The Blues spent big once again last summer to little reward. Nonetheless, Todd Boehly should at least feel encouraged by how Mauricio Pochettino's side ended the campaign and how Cole Palmer stood out to win the Premier League's Young Player of the Year award and make at least that deal one to look back on with pride.

It's the type of deal that those in West London will be desperate to repeat this summer too as they look to finally build towards a return to the Premier League's top four next season. And that's something that Estevao Willian is likely to play a part in for years to come alongside Palmer.

Chelsea must sell their ”flop” who's worth £43m less than Gallagher

The Chelsea player became a record breaker when he signed.

By
Tom Lever

May 18, 2024

According to Fabrizio Romano, Chelsea have reached a verbal agreement to sign Estevao with Palmeiras ready to accept their bid worth €40m (£34m) plus €25m (£22m) in add-ons. With personal terms agreed, the only step left is for the Palmeiras president to sign the deal and allow a future star to complete a move to the Premier League.

Still just 17 years old, Estevao is clearly a player who's rated highly, given just how much Chelsea are willing to splash out to secure his signature.

He won't be the first young South American to complete a recent move to Stamford Bridge either – he'll be following in the footsteps of Deivid Washington, Angelo and Andrey Santos as the Blues build a contingent for the future. Chelsea certainly aren't messing around and the Brazilian vision is clear, with the young winger the latest of a promising group.

"Huge" Estevao represents Chelsea plan

On the pitch, it's been hard to identify what exactly the plan is at Chelsea. Boehly has splashed the cash every year, walked a fine line when it comes to FFP, and seen the Blues plummet down the table as a result. But, there's been signs that things are beginning to take shape recently and the arrival of Estevao may be the biggest indication yet of the future planning taking place in London.

Boehly has taken a gamble by investing in young players and whilst it is a gamble that is yet to pay dividends, a number of young players are yet to even come close to reaching their peaks – so time should be the answer.

That said, if Football Talent Scout's Jacek Kulig's praise is anything to go by, then Chelsa can have plenty of hope that Estevao will hit the ground running from the off, having described the winger as a "huge talent".

The stage will be set at Stamford Bridge and now the ball is in Estevao's court to live up to the high expectations if he does complete an expected move this summer.

Arsenal have held fresh talks with the representatives of a £34 million striker, as they eye up an alternative to heavily-linked RB Leipzig star Benjamin Sesko.

Arsenal named as serious contenders in race for Sesko

The Gunners, as per widespread reports in the last fortnight, are major contenders in the race to sign Sesko this summer.

£100,000-per-week Arsenal ace set to quit as Premier League side open talks

An official offer is being prepared.

By
Emilio Galantini

Jun 6, 2024

The Slovenia international scored an impressive 18 goals in all competitions last season, which has attracted interest from some of Europe's most elite sides who are chasing a prolific frontman for their squads. Sesko's contract also includes a tempting £55 million release clause, which is yet another pull for sides looking to save serious money in the transfer market.

Goalscoring strikers of the 21-year-old's ilk usually come at an extortionate premium, with Arsenal-linked forwards Victor Osimhen (£113 million) and Viktor Gyokeres (£86 million) both commanding marquee price tags.

Sesko could leave Leipzig for a much cheaper fee, and with Arsenal looking to bolster other areas of Mikel Arteta's team, the 6ft 5 centre-forward could come as an excellent solution.

"He wants to take some time to decide if he will stay at RB Leipzig and sign a new contract, or leave to try a new experience," said Fabrizio Romano in an update on Sesko's future to the Here We Go podcast (via football.london).

“The first step has to be to inform RB Leipzig of his future at the club. Leipzig presented an important contract to Sesko to be the star of the squad with an improved salary and big money.

"He has to decide whether he wants to be the superstar of Leipzig for one more season or to leave in 2025. He has already said no to two big proposals for €30 million (£26 million) per season salary in Saudi Arabia, so he was not attracted by the possibility.

“He has three proposals from the Premier League – Manchester United, Chelsea & Arsenal – these three clubs have already approached Sesko and presented their project. They want him so now it's basically on the player.”

Depending on the developments surrounding Sesko, with the player having many different offers, Arsenal will need to have alternative options. One of them, according to The Boot Room and journalist Graeme Bailey, is Bologna forward Joshua Zirkzee.

Arsenal hold fresh agent talks as they eye Zirkzee

TBR claim that Arsenal have held fresh talks with the agents of Zirkzee recently, and while separate reports indicate that AC Milan are in pole position to sign the Dutchman (Fabrizio Romano), it is never done until contracts are officially signed.

The striker's contract includes a £34 million release clause, which is even less than Sesko's, so this could be one to watch if Arsenal decide to try and hijack Milan's proposed move.

Fulham winger Adama Traore has revealed the advice Pep Guardiola gave him after missing a hatful of chances against his Manchester City side.

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• Man City beat Fulham 3-2
• Traore misses hatful of chances
• Winger reveals Guardiola's advice

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Premier League defending champions City edged to a nervy 3-2 win over Fulham earlier this month, but it could have been very different if winger Traore took some of his many chances. At the full-time whistle, ex-Barcelona manager Guardiola could be seen having a chat with Traore on the Etihad pitch and now the former Wolves man has lifted the lid on what they spoke about.

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• WHAT ADAMA TRAORE SAID

  The former Barcelona youngster told El Larguero: "I've known him for a few years, but it's always appreciated. He is the best coach in the world, without a doubt. After the game he came up to me to tell it was a good game, he gave me some pointers on how to finish the chances I had against them. I met him at Barca. When I arrived at Aston Villa I also had a call with him and he has always been friendly."

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  At the rate he is going, Guardiola may go down as the best football manager of all time. He has tasted success at Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and City and his style of play has inspired countless numbers of coaches to get into the game and develop a similar style of play; while many others have dedicated so much time to just counteract his approach. That is why Traore and so many others refer to him as the best in the world.

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• WHAT NEXT?

  Guardiola's City team return to Premier League action away to lowly Wolves on October 20, whereas Traore's Fulham host high-flying Aston Villa the day before at Craven Cottage.

Wolverhampton Wanderers endured a poor finish to their 2023/24 season, losing five of their final six Premier League matches.

Despite a decent campaign overall, Gary O’Neil will be hoping to sign a few high quality players this summer to take his team to the next level.

Wolves transfer news

According to Record – via Sport Witness – Wolves are reportedly fighting it out with Atletico Madrid over Rodrigo Gomes, having seemingly lodged a bid worth in the region of €15m (£13m) for the promising winger.

The report suggests that the Portuguese gem – who spent the 2023/24 season on loan at Estoril from SC Braga – was also a target for the Old Gold in January, with the Premier League outfit having tracked his progress throughout the campaign.

Madrid may well be the favourites to secure his signature during the transfer window, but perhaps O’Neil could entice the youngster with the chance to play in one of the biggest leagues in Europe, with the report indicating that there may be something of a 'tug of war' between the rival suitors.

Should he make the move to Molineux, comparisons will be made between him and Pedro Neto. Might the 20-year-old be another version of the current Wolves gem?

Rodrigo Gomes could be Pedro Neto 2.0

The previous two seasons have seen Neto endure a host of injury issues, missing a total of 46 games since the summer of 2022.

Last season saw the 23-year-old return to form when he was fit, making 24 appearances, scoring three goals while grabbing 11 assists, showcasing his attacking abilities.

It was no coincidence that their form suffered during the final few weeks of the season as Neto was injured.

As per data analyst Ben Mattinson, Gomes had been "on fire" during the 2023/24 campaign, with the "versatile" talent earmarking himself as a player to "watch out for".

Indeed, across 36 matches in all competitions, Gomes scored nine goals while registering eight assists, showing similarities to Neto as the duo both have a keen eye for goal while creating plenty of chances for their teammates.

Among his teammates, the Braga starlet ranked first for goals and assists (14) in the top flight, along with ranking first for shots per game (1.7), second for big chances created (seven) and third for key passes per game (1.2), evidence that he offers more than just a danger in front of goal.

These statistics also indicate that the youngster could be ready to make an impression in the Premier League. Neto had played just eight senior matches prior to making the switch to the Old Gold in 2019, and it has worked out fairly well for him.

Gomes has a contract at Braga until June 2026, which means O’Neil must be prepared to splash the cash in order to lure him to the Midlands.

He may have to sell a few players this summer in order to fund a move, however, but there is no doubt signing Gomes would be worth every penny.

The youngster will only continue to improve over the next few years and his development could be best served by joining Wolves and playing against some of the best defenders in the world.

Wolves right in the race for "outrageous" £24m Neto replacement

The Old Gold could secure a shrewd signing by landing this talented winger.

By
Angus Sinclair

May 24, 2024