Wolverhampton Wanderers are reportedly already looking ahead to the summer transfer window after a difficult season in the Premier League.
Julen Lopetegui’s side are safe from relegation, but have a lot of changes to make in order to improve in the next campaign, with many issues raised from this term's faults.
Wolves are the league’s lowest scorers, having found the net just 30 times in 36 games, attributing to their lacklustre 13th place standing in the table at present.
With just two fixtures remaining to hopefully boost Lopetegui’s finishing place for the 2022/23 campaign, the Midlands club are turning their eye to the business end of the summer break.
The club have been linked with a host of players leading up to the end of the season, with news emerging earlier this year of a potential new face at Molineux.
Could Wolves sign Geoffrey Kondogbia?
Indeed, it was reported by Fabrizio Romano back in March that Atletico Madrid midfielder Geoffrey Kondogbia could be on the move this summer.
The 30-year-old has played just 33 minutes in Madrid’s previous 13 matches, remaining on the bench.
Romano reported that Wolves approached the Spanish giants in January for the midfielder, adding that Premier League clubs are monitoring the player for the summer window.
What could Geoffrey Kondogbia offer Wolves?
Hailed as a “monster” by former TalkSPORT and Fox Sports News reporter James Dodd, the Central African Republic international is a force to be reckoned with in midfield.
As per FBref, the £107k-per-week player ranks as the best in Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for his rate of interceptions per 90 minutes in his position.
The 30-year-old averages 2.40 interceptions on average per 90, as well as a monstrous 3.57 tackles over the same time frame in midfield, making him the ultimate powerhouse in the engine room.
While protecting the back line, Kondogbia cleans up going forward, maintaining a passing accuracy of 88.5% per 90, leaving little room for error.
The Nemours-born player would be a perfect fit for Wolves, and particularly Mario Lemina, who has emerged as a shining light in Lopetegui’s midfield this season.
The Gabonese midfielder has hit similar numbers to the Atletico Madrid man, averaging 3.01 tackles per 90, and being a strong passer with an 88.1% completion rate per 90 – as per FBref.
While the expected departure of Ruben Neves looms over the Spanish manager’s head, Wolves could soften the blow of losing their captain by signing Kondogbia, who with Lemina would be an overwhelming force in the middle of the park.
Likened to Liverpool’s Fabinho by FBref, the Wolves target possesses all the attributes required to play in the Premier League, shown by his success around Europe having featured in La Liga, Ligue 1 and Serie A over the years.
Only time will tell if Lopetegui can get the deal first sparked in January over the line this summer, with the midfielder attracting interest from a host of clubs amid departure rumours.