At the beginning of the day it looked as though Wolves were going to sign Renato Sanches on a loan deal.
However, deadline day has not gone as planned for Bruno Lage and co, with the Old Gold missing out on two targets now in the final hours.
What’s the word?
Wolves missed out on the acquisition of Sven Botman, with the Dutchman proving to be too expensive.
However, despite Sanches merely being a potential loan move, it looks like Lage won’t get that move done either.
The Molineux outfit had been pushing for the central midfielder in the concluding hours of the window but the two clubs haven’t been able to come to an agreement.
Tim Spiers revealed the bad news on Twitter, saying: “Not good news re Renato Sanches. Deal off as things stand, clubs too far apart on loan agreement (particularly the option next summer)."
The Athletic journalist did state there was a little margin of hope, adding: “Important to stress the 'as things stand' part of this tweet. Not off full stop, dialogue still open but plenty still to agree.”
Lage has hope
If Wolves can’t sign Sanches on the final day of the window, then it should be seen as a colossal blow.
The Old Gold haven’t been able to conclude much business this summer, but this was a deal which could have taken them to the next level.
He’s long been seen as one of the most promising central players in Europe and it would have been a considerable coup to bring him to Molineux. With a potential option to buy him as well, he could have been a phenomenal replacement for Ruben Neves if the latter did eventually leave next summer.
Neves has been linked with a move away for the vast majority of the transfer window and his absence would be felt hard if you judge him by his performance against Spurs over a week ago.
The two Portuguese players are competent when it comes to breaking down the play but are both calm and composed in possession the ball. Last term, for instance, they both completed more than 84% of their passes.
If you consider the lack of options Wolves have in that area of the pitch, it makes the need for Sanches even more greater.
After a quiet few months on the transfer front, this should leave the club’s supporters feeling rather dejected. It will also be a frustrating piece of news for Lage.
That being said, there is still a sliver of hope left with a few hours to go in the window. Negotiations are still ongoing and the deal isn't definitely off. Will Wolves finally sign a new central midfielder? Time will tell.