Wolverhampton Wanderers need new recruits between now and Monday’s deadline if they’re going to stay in the Premier League.
So far, Vítor Pereira’s team have played two and lost two this season, demolished 4-0 by Manchester City on opening weekend, before another defeat on Saturday, this time at the hands of Bournemouth.
Tuesday’s comeback win over West Ham United in the Carabao Cup may spark reason for optimism, however, not least with man of the moment, Jørgen Strand Larsen, netting twice off the bench to power the Old Gold to victory.
That brace was just the latest headline-grabbing occasion for the Scandinavian sensation, with Pereira’s side perhaps now seeking to replicate that success with another exciting acquisition.
Wolves set for another La Liga recruit
With Matheus Cunha having departed for Manchester United, Larsen will be Wolves’ main man in attack.
He scored 14 Premier League goals last season, a very impressive return, before making the move from Celta Vigo permanent for around £23m earlier this summer.
His importance is why the club rejected a £50m bid for the Norwegian striker from Newcastle United earlier this week, although the Magpies are still hopeful of getting a deal done.
Meantime, it is being widely reported that Ladislav Krejčí is close to joining Wolves from Girona for £26m, set to undergo a medical in the coming days.
However, he is not the only La Liga player seemingly Molineux-bound.
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That’s because, according to a report by the Telegraph, Wolves have ‘agreed personal terms’ with Getafe midfielder Christantus Uche.
The Nigerian international is expected to cost around £17m, with reports in Spain suggesting Getafe are under pressure to sell in order to comply with LaLiga’s squad cost limit regulations, so will Uche soon swap Madrid for the Midlands?
What Wolves fans should expect from Christantus Uche
The 22-year-old has enjoyed an “insane” rise in the last 12 months or so, as per one content creator, given that he was playing for Ceuta in the Primera Federación, Spain’s third-tier, as recently as the 2023/24 season.
His form there earned him a move to Getafe last summer, his top-flight debut coming almost exactly a year ago, making 33 appearances in LaLiga last season, uniquely deployed all over the attacking area of the pitch by manager José Bordalás, utilised as a striker, a winger and an attacking midfielder.
His tally of four goals may not leap off the page, but it’s worth considering the fact that Azulones scored only 34 times as a team, the second-fewest in the division, outscoring only rock-bottom Real Valladolid.
Uche also commenced the new campaign by netting during Getafe’s 2-0 victory over Celta Vigo at Balaídos on the opening weekend, assisting Adrián Liso to score the other goal too, so let’s further examine his importance to Getafe.
Minutes
2,486
8th
Goals
4
3rd
Assists
6
1st
Big chances created
7
1st
Shots
50
2nd
Key passes
29
3rd
Shot-creating actions
78
2nd
Goal-creating actions
10
1st
Progressive-carries
43
2nd
Average Sofascore rating
6.89
6th
As the table documents, Uche ranked in the top three at Getafe last season for all attacking metrics included, top of the pile in terms of assists, big chances created and goal-creating actions, underlining his importance.
Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout is certainly a fan, describing him as a “superb… box-to-box midfielder”, while elsewhere noting that “passing, physicality and work rate” are his biggest strengths.
So, why would he be such an excellent signing for Wolves?
Well, Uche is accustomed to playing for a struggling side, given that Getafe ranked second-bottom for average possession in LaLiga last season (41.2%), above only Espanyol.
During his own penultimate season in LaLiga, Strand Larsen also scored just four goals for Celta Vigo, before increasing that total to 13 prior to joining Wolves, and all available evidence suggests that Uche is capable of producing a similar increase.
Having seen the success that Tuesday’s Carabao Cup hero has enjoyed at Molineux to date, Wolves should well aim to repeat the trick with another exciting LaLiga import.
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