Wolves Plot Move For Experienced Premier League Left Back
From the heart of Wolverhampton emerges a tale of a daring pursuit. Wolves find themselves entangled in talks over West Ham United’s reliable defender, Aaron Cresswell.
A Potential Move for a Seasoned Defender
At 33, Cresswell still has the tenacity of a fresh talent and the wisdom of a seasoned professional. Rumour has it he’s intrigued by the possibility of donning the old gold and black. The £5m discussion between the clubs has football enthusiasts on the edge of their seats.
“Cresswell is currently down under, partaking in West Ham’s pre-season tour in Australia,” according to reports from The Athletic. Interestingly, during the recent 3-2 victory over Tottenham Hotspur, he was noticeably absent, fuelling the swirling speculation about a possible transfer.
Wolves’ Alternatives: Ait-Nouri’s Uncertain Future
The Cresswell pursuit shines a light on Wolves’ ongoing deliberations regarding Rayan Ait-Nouri. Despite only earning nine starting berths in the 2022/23 league season, the young full-back’s potential is undeniable. Yet, with the transfer winds blowing, a loan move might be on the cards.
Cresswell’s Hammer Legacy
It was the summer of 2014 when Cresswell, fresh from Ipswich Town, first pulled on the claret and blue of West Ham. Since then, he’s put in a remarkable shift, amassing a staggering 331 appearances for the Hammers. His tally? Ten goals and an impressive 37 assists, a commendable record for any defender.
Cresswell’s time at West Ham is also marked by a significant milestone. He was instrumental in West Ham’s victorious UEFA Conference League campaign last season. This marked the club’s first European triumph since 1965, an achievement further elevating the former Tranmere Rovers defender’s standing.
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Wolves notebook: Newcastle keen on defender, Kilman update, Searle message
Wolverhampton Wanderers news from on and off the pitch with our BirminghamLive notebook feature
Newcastle United remain interested in Wolves academy defender Leo Shahar, according to a report, with the North East club linked to several players.
The Daily Mail reckons United also want Birmingham winger Trevan Sanusi, 16, and former West Ham midfielder Divine Mukasa, 15. Right back Shahar played with Wolves’ under-18s last season and trained on occasion with the under-21s as well as being recognised at international level with England under-16s.
Meanwhile, the Wolves academy have been working hard during a seven-night training camp in Slovakia involving the under-16s, under-18s and under-21s. Wes Hughes, who is youth phase lead coach at under-15s and under-16s level, told the club: “It’s been great changing the environment. The hardest thing in football is to do it again and I always think if you can keep the experience as fresh as possible for the players and staff, then it’s better.
“You don’t want it to be monotonous, so from a pre-season perspective, it’s been great. We’ve changed the environment and certainly the weather – it’s been really warm out here which is something we’re not used to in England. The players have shown great ability to adapt and deal with the conditions. We’ve also had to adapt because originally we’d planned to do sessions at 11am and 12pm. We looked at the weather since coming out here and have moved our sessions to 9am. That’s moved everything forwards – bedtime has been moved, food times have moved and from an operational perspective, that’s been challenging at times.”
It seems Napoli haven’t given up on signing Max Kilman, but have yet to match the £35m asking price. The Italian champions have had a bid of £30m turned down with Wolves happy to keep the 26-year-old centre half, regardless of any pressures with Financial Fair Play this summer.
So, over to Napoli and reports in Corriere del Mezzogiorno, via Sport Witness, who say Kilman remains the priority as the club looks for a player to fill the vacancy left by Kim Min-jae’s move to Bayern Munich. They say Napoli are hoping to persuade Wolves to lower their asking price. However, they may be waiting a while because Kilman is under contract until 2026 and the suggestions from Molineux are that he could sign a new deal.
Wolves fan Henry Searle was a guest of the club this week after winning the Wimbledon boys’ singles championship.
The 17-year-old Wolverhampton native, who was part of the club’s academy as a child, became the first Briton to win the junior title since 1962 when Stanley Matthews junior, the son of the famous footballer, was crowned champion.
Searle, the former St Peter’s Collegiate Academy pupil, was invited to watch first team training and meet manager Julen Lopetegui and players. That followed messages of good luck from the club and Lopetegui before the final which he won 6-4, 6-4 against Yaroslav Demin.
The Wimbledon champion told the club: “It was pretty inspiring. To see that I’ve been recognised by someone like Julen was a big push before the final.
“I’ve been a Wolves supporter ever since I was a little kid. I’ve always tried to get to as many games as possible and watch as many home games as I can when I’m back. I love the Molineux.
“It’s been pretty cool and pretty exciting to come here and meet a few of the players and watch them train.
“I played as a left-winger in the academy when I was younger, but I was a little bit better at tennis than I was at football at the time of choosing between the two, but I think I’ve made the right decision! But it was great to come and see all these guys training and hopefully I can come back soon.”
