Ahead of what is likely to be a busy summer transfer window, Wolverhampton Wanderers are reportedly facing the prospect of losing another key man alongside Matheus Cunha.
Wolves transfer news
Whilst Wolves’ main aim is undoubtedly survival this season, there would have still been plenty of frustration over how their FA Cup run came to an end against Bournemouth last time out. Having levelled things up through a sensational strike from range, Cunha commenced his side’s downfall when he left the referee with little choice but to hand him his marching orders.
Going on to lose on penalties without their star man, Wolves are without a place in the last eight of the FA Cup and will be without Cunha for the next three Premier League games in what is arguably a far bigger blow.
It’s something that Cunha should be desperate to rectify if this is to be his final season in the Midlands. With a £62m release clause in his new contract, the Brazilian has already attracted the reported interest of Arsenal, Chelsea and others to create quite the race for his signature when the summer arrives. And he’s not the only player who could depart Molineux.
According to Record, as relayed by Sports Witness, Benfica are now set to advance their talks to sign Nelson Semedo on a free deal following the expiry of his current Wolves contract at the end of the season.
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Yet to sign an extension in the Midlands, the right-back could yet reunite with former Wolves manager Bruno Lage and return to one of his very first clubs back in Portugal.
Wolves, meanwhile, look increasingly likely to bid farewell to another captain and another experienced player without profiting. With a matter of months left until his contract expires, Semedo seems destined to bow out.
Wolves need Semedo’s experience
If Wolves are to lose Cunha this summer, then keeping hold of the likes of Semedo is suddenly more important than ever. Vitor Pereira needs no reminding of the right-back’s importance and experience, having handed him the captain’s armband following his arrival and Mario Lemina’s ill-discipline in the final stages of Gary O’Neil’s tenure.
Pereira reiterated his desire to keep hold of Semedo in January, telling reporters: “Because I have time, I’m finding the personalities that I want as leaders in the team. At the moment, I’m not changing the captain and I’m okay with him, but I’m studying the personalities and I need some time for that.
“He’s a good player, he’s professional, he has the skills that I like, so it means that if the club was to ask my opinion, I would want to stay with him.
“There have been no discussions because there have been a lot of things to fix and to work on, so it’s difficult for me to think about everything. But we will have time to sit down and discuss.”
Whether the time has passed for those discussions over renewing Semedo’s £80,000-a-week contract remains to be seen, but it seems as though Benfica are wasting little time in negotiations of their own in pursuit of his signature.
