When Raul Jimenez suffered a fractured skull against Arsenal last month, everyone at Wolves feared the worst.
Their star man was now out injured for a prolonged period of time and the player they had to rely on instead was just 18 years of age.
What’s the word?
The transfer window has come just at the right time for Wolves who are searching for reinforcements in the market, namely in attacking positions.
According to Eurosport FR (via Get Football News France) Jeff Shi and his recruitment team are eyeing up a move for Montpellier forward Gaetan Laborde.
They face competition from two unnamed Bundesliga clubs in a bid to sign him. Per Transfermarkt, the 26-year-old is valued at around £11.7m. Thus, a sizable fee seems unlikely.
His wages are also far from astronomical. Laborde earns £23k-per-week in Ligue 1, so this shouldn’t be a deal that sets Wolves back very much.
Ideal for Nuno
Laborde is far from a household name, particularly in English football, but he’d be an exceptional investment for a side who need cover for Jimenez.
When you look at the Frenchman, he plays in a very similar way to Wolves’ number 9 and that’s not just in terms of his goals.
The 6-foot striker - who stands just three inches smaller than Jimenez - is a commanding force in the air and has won a mammoth 70 aerial duels this season – 3.9 a match. Considering he’s of lesser stature than the Mexican, he’s actually more dominant in that part of the game. For context, Jimenez has only won 1.5 battles in the air a game.
That isn’t the only thing Laborde offers though. Like his potential new teammate, he is adept at bringing others into play and has five assists to go with his six goals in Ligue 1 this term.
A big part of Jimenez’s game is that he can hold the ball up and utilise others well, something that Laborde does to near perfection.
A cut-price option in January, the Montpellier forward looks like a handy player and would undoubtedly add valuable depth to Wolves’ frontline.