Wolves have joined a queue of clubs looking to try and sign a young talent for a bargain fee this summer, it has emerged, as Gary O’Neil looks to strengthen his squad on the cheap.
Wolves target youth
Part of Wolves’ strategy over the summer was to buy younger talents to develop as they look to build a squad capable of avoiding relegation from the Premier League.
In the wake of Pedro Neto’s exit to Chelsea, the Old Gold replaced him with former Manchester City youth talent Carlos Forbs, who turns 21 in March, while the only player over the age of 24 signed was goalkeeper Sam Johnstone, who arrived from Crystal Palace.
|
Wolves’ summer signings |
|
|---|---|
|
Player |
Age at time of signing |
|
Pedro Lima |
18 |
|
Bastien Meupiyou |
18 |
|
Carlos Forbs |
20 |
|
Rodrigo Gomes |
20 |
|
Tommy Doyle |
22 |
|
Andre |
23 |
|
Jorgen Strand Larsen |
24 |
|
Sam Johnstone |
31 |
It has yet to work out for the Molineux side, but their first wins of the season have pulled them clear of the relegation zone as things stand and O’Neil will be hoping that the players he has signed only continue to improve over the course of the season, with money scarce in the Midlands for any January or summer additions and the club looking to follow a self-sustaining model.
That could see players leave once more in the summer, with Matheus Cunha among those linked with a move away from the club, along with fullback Rayan Ait-Nouri.
However, that will not change Wolves’ youth-driven policy, and now they have joined the race to sign a potential bargain.
Wolves interested in signing Celtic talent
That comes according to Football Insider, who name Wolves as one of five sides showing an interest in Celtic forward Daniel Cummings after a series of impressive performances at youth level.
The 18-year-old has managed to find the net 22 times in 20 games for the youth sides this season, including five goals in five Champions League youth games for Celtic, helping the young Bhoys to three wins and leaving them above Real Madrid in the early standings.
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But Cummings is out of contract with Celtic as things stand at the end of the campaign, and the reports claims that the teenager “could leave the club for a minimal fee with cross-border compensation only €310,000″ [£250,000], following in the footsteps of the likes of Ben Doak and Rocco Vata”.
It is added that “Wolves, Fulham, Ipswich, Sunderland and Burnley” all had scouts watching him in his most recent UEFA Youth League game, where he scored the only goal of the game as Celtic edged past Club Brugge before the senior team were held to a draw later in the day.
Still yet to make his debut for Brendan Rodgers’ table-topping senior side, several clubs are positioning themselves in the hope that it never happens, while Wolves will be among them, hoping that they can snag the talent on the cheap in several months time should contract talks not reach a resolution.
