With not a lot to play for between now and the end of the season for Wolves, they can begin focusing on how they can improve ahead of the next campaign.

What’s the word?

According to TEAMtalk, Wolves are one of a number of teams in the race to sign Burnley midfielder Josh Brownhill.

The 25-year-old has only been in the Premier League for the best part of 14 months but plenty of teams clearly like what they’re seeing from him.

Wolves have already made trips to scout Brownhill, but they have been joined by Southampton, Crystal Palace, West Ham and Aston Villa, per TEAMtalk.

The Clarets signed him for a price of £9m, so you’d imagine they’d want a similar sort of fee in order to sell. They may also need to improve on his £35k-per-week wages in order to tempt the midfield general elsewhere.

Moutinho heir in waiting

There are very few positives from Wolves’ arduous season. They are in the bottom half of the table and haven’t been able to build upon their accomplishments of being in Europe last term.

With Raul Jimenez missing through long-term injury, they’ve not been their usual selves and that’s all been encompassed in Joao Moutinho. The Portuguese midfielder oozes class but has been one of a number of Old Gold players to suffer. He has only scored once this term and has attracted criticism as such.

Wolves reporter Tim Spiers has even claimed that this could be his final campaign as a regular in the starting XI. At the age of 34, he is no spring chicken and his best days may well be numbered.

With that in mind, the Molineux outfit will need a replacement. Could Brownhill be that man? Quite possibly.

The midfielder played a starring role for Bristol City in the Championship where he was given a more advanced role. In doing so, he contributed to 15 goals and 12 assists during his final two-and-a-half seasons in that part of the world.

Brownhill was capable of cutting through opponents, producing 1.4 key passes per match during his final half-campaign in the second tier. For context, despite Moutinho’s one assist in 2020/21, he has provided 1.2 key passes per game.

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Crucial, however, is the added penetration and zip he could bring to Wolves’ midfield. Brownhill is a player who loves to run himself into the ground, something Sean Dyche was keen to stress last September. He said: “(He’s got) boundless energy, will and desire, and he's a good footballer. I've been really pleased with how he's come through."

Since signing for the Clarets, he has added to the defensive side of his game too, playing in a deeper role when Dyche’s men don’t have possession. Indeed, that’s a similar position to the one in which Moutinho plays at Molineux.

He starts attacks from deep by winning the ball back and then laying it forward. That’s an attribute in which Brownhill has thrived since arriving in the Premier League.

The 25-year-old has registered 1.4 tackles and 2.4 interceptions per match this term. In comparison to Moutinho, he is streets ahead in terms of his reading of the game. The Portugal international has only made 1.3 interceptions but importantly, wins two tackles per outing.

You can see why Brownhill would be a good replacement, though. He’s got an incisive pass but he’s also adept defensively. It might not be the most eye-catching of signings, but it would be smart business from Jeff Shi to bring in the 25-year-old.

AND in other news, Wolves must swoop for "dangerous" £37k-p/w beast with "really big potential"...