Perhaps none more than Wolves, Premier League teams may have to sell their top players this summer in order to comply with the profit and sustainability regulations that restrict their spending power.
After offloading more than €150 million worth of players in the summer, Gary O’Neill’s team barely avoided penalty for breaking financial fair play regulations. Nevertheless, they might try to raise additional money as Pedro Neto and Rayan Ait-Nouri are two of their most wanted players.
Wolves have placed a price tag of approximately €93 million on Neto, as FootballTransfers exclusively revealed earlier this month. Meanwhile, Ait-Nouri has previously drawn interest from teams like Manchester City and Liverpool after emerging as a standout left-back for the Midlands team.
Despite having recovered from two terrible long-term injuries in his career, Neto has shown that he is well worth the money this season. If he is sold for the required amount, it would place the 23-year-old among the top 15 moves in Premier League history.
Even with a €93 million transfer fee, Neto’s arrival would still rank behind stars like Antony, Mykhailo Mudryk, and Jadon Sancho, even though he has already surpassed all three players in goals and assists this season.
Even if teams like Liverpool and Arsenal are anticipated to compete for Neto, the Portuguese international can still turn out to be a wise addition that helps both teams succeed.
How O’Neill has helped Ait Nouri and Neto advance at Wolves
Only Everton has given up fewer goals than O’Neill’s team outside of the top six this season, partly because of Ait Nouri’s strong defensive play. Only two players have more Premier League assists than Neto this season. The creative winger has also helped Wolves boast the most goals of any team in the bottom half of the table.
After first joining Wolves on loan from Angers in 2020 for €11 million, Ait Nouri is perhaps enjoying his greatest season to date.
Even though the Algerian hasn’t scored a goal or provided an assist this year, he is still one of the best defensive players in the Premier League under the age of twenty-three. The only other defender to surpass the 22-year-old is Tottenham’s Destiny Udogie.
Both players are thought to be content at Molineux and have plenty of time left on their contracts. It is reported that there is no assurance that either will depart this summer.
Although Wolves is still a long way from aiming for European football, the lure of joining one of the league’s best teams may be too much to refuse, and the possibility of a blockbuster deal may help the team stay out of financial trouble.
Of the two, Neto is the most likely to depart. Arsenal feels he could be a valuable replacement for Bukayo Saka, who has only missed three Premier League games in almost three seasons. The Portuguese international is proving to be a rare commodity as a left-footed right winger in today’s market.
Ait Nouri might also prove to be an improvement for Arsenal at left back, and Saudi Arabian teams are still vying for Neto’s signature, so if Mohamed Salah departs the team, Liverpool will probably look to him.
Wolves doesn’t want to lose two of its finest players, but they understand that they will gain a lot from their exits. In the end, Wolves will struggle to hang onto their stars since they have grown into two of the Premier League’s top players.
Read more about: Pedro Neto, Rayan Aït-Nouri, Mohamed Salah, Mykhaylo Mudryk, Pedro Saka, Arsenal, Everton, Liverpool, Man City, Tottenham, Wolverhampton, and Antony.
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