Wolves have not found the move to life under Bruno Lage a seamless transition but that’s not entirely the new manager’s fault.
The Old Gold had little room for manoeuvre in the transfer market and they’ve had to nurse star striker Raul Jimenez back to full health.
What’s the word?
Jimenez scored his first goal of the season last weekend but Wolves are still crying out for some extra help in the final third.
Trincao and Adama Traore are yet to find the net in the Premier League this season so it won’t be a surprise if Lage targets more attackers in 2022.
One player they appear to have their eye on is Italy star Lorenzo Insigne.
The 30-year-old helped defeat England in the final of the European Championships but now he could be on his way to the country he left so heartbroken.
That’s according to journalist Ekrem Konur who said the following on Monday morning: “Lorenzo Insigne has not yet responded positively to Napoli's offers. Wolverhampton and Crystal Palace are closely monitoring Insigne's condition.”
The attacker is currently rated at £43.2m via Transfermarkt but could be signed for free next summer if he doesn’t sign a new deal in Serie A.
Neto comparisons
Pedro Neto was by far the standout player at Wolves last season.
He finished as the club’s joint-top scorer on five strikes while he was also Nuno Santo’s chief creator with six assists to his name.
All of that led to the Portuguese winger earning Wolves’ Player of the Year award for his vibrant performances.
However, since he sustained a broken patella, the Old Gold have missed every ounce of his qualities quite significantly.
Trincao and Traore have been dazzling when one-on-one with a defender but they have struggled to provide the end product that Neto produces.
Insigne, however, could counterbalance this.
He might be heading towards the later stages of his career but he’s shown over a number of years how phenomenal he can be.
In the words of pundit Tony Cascarino, Insigne is “exceptional”, particularly when it comes to his work rate. That being said, the same assessment is correct when analysing his attacking numbers.
Last season, he was in mesmerising touch in front of goal, beating the ‘keeper on 19 occasions. On top of that, the Italian registered 11 assists.
Insigne is a creative marvel, someone who carved out 1.8 key passes and 1.9 dribbles per game in Serie A last term.
That’s incredibly similar to Neto, someone who provided goals and assists while completing two key passes and 2.1 dribbles a match.
If Wolves can prise him away from Italy on a free transfer, it would be wonderful business from Lage and co.