It has been all change recently for Wolverhampton Wanderers. They ended what was a poor 2024 by sacking former manager Gary O’Neil, and replaced him with the experienced Vitor Pereira.
The Portuguese boss has made a great start to life at Molineux, winning two, drawing one and losing one of his first four games in charge. On the whole, he has made a positive start and the Old Gold are now out of the relegation zone.
As is often the case under a new manager, there have been changes in the squad, with certain players falling out of favour. That has certainly been the situation for Mario Lemina under Pereira.
Lemina’s 2024/25 season
When speaking of all change for Wolves in the last few weeks, perhaps no player can relate to that more than Lemina. It has been a hectic time for the Gabonese midfielder, starting with his dismissal as captain when O’Neil was manager.
A scuffle between Lemina and Bowen broke out at full time of the Old Gold’s defeat away to West Ham in December which “sparked the conversation” for a change in captaincy, according to O’Neil.
With the new manager in place, things got off to a slow start for the former Wolves skipper. A calf strain kept him out of Pereira’s first three games in charge, and he could only make a fleeting appearance off the bench against Nottingham Forest in the 3-0 defeat at Molineux.
That was a huge chance to impress, although Birmingham Live journalist Charlie Haffenden did not seem to think Lemina played too well. He gave the Wolves midfielder a 4/10 for his efforts, explaining that he ‘couldn’t have defended much worse’ for Taiwo Awoniyi’s goal which was Forest’s third of the night.
All of the things to have happened over the past few months might leave Lemina – who is reportedly keen to move on – in an interesting position at Wolves, and he is certainly not a guaranteed starter. His role in the squad might become even more under question with the Old Gold targeting a new midfielder.
Wolves could land perfect Lemina upgrade
The player in question here is Colombian international Richard Rios. According to a report from Brazilian news outlet RTI – which emerged over the weekend – the Old Gold are interested in signing the midfielder, who is highly rated by Pereira.
A price is not clear, but Manchester United were reportedly set to bid £17m for the 24-year-old Palmeiras man over the summer. Should Wolves decide to pursue a move, they could face competition from Fulham who are also interested.
The Colombia star has been key for Palmeiras over the past season. He has played 49 games across competitions, scoring four times and grabbing five assists. He also played a key role in his country’s run to to 2024 Copa America final, where he started all six of their games.
Like Lemina, Rios is a hard-working midfielder who is a tough tackler. Yet, his biggest strengths lie on the ball. The Colombian is elegant with the ball at his feet and is also a progressive and creative midfielder.
According to the statistics on FBref, he would certainly be an upgrade on the former Wolves skipper. For example, the 24-year-old averages 1.39 progressive carries and 5.31 progressive passes per game, compared to Lemina’s 0.59 progressive carries and 3.22 progressive passes.
A pass is considered progressive if the distance between the starting point and the next touch is at least 10 meters closer to the opponent’s goal or any completed pass into the penalty area.
Without the ball, they are statistically closer, yet Rios averages more ball recoveries per 90 minutes than the Gabon international. Specifically, he makes 6.55 compared to 4.8 for the Wolves man.
|
Rios vs Lemina key stats compared |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Stat (per 90) |
Rios |
Lemina |
|
Progressive carries |
1.39 |
0.59 |
|
Progressive passes |
5.31 |
3.22 |
|
Key passes |
0.88 |
0.66 |
|
Ball recoveries |
6.55 |
4.8 |
|
Tackles and interceptions |
4.54 |
5.13 |
|
Stats from FBref |
||
A deal to bring Rios to Molineux does not seem like it would break the bank for Wolves. At just £17m or so, it is an affordable price to upgrade their midfield by signing a 24-year-old who has a “huge amount of talent”, as football analyst Ben Mattinson has said.
If this is a deal the Old Gold manage to get over the line, it will certainly boost Pereira’s side and increase their chances of survival.
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