Exclusive: Wolves three-player signing plan revealed after Nunes latest

Wolves boss Gary O’Neil is keen to improve the spine of his side if Matheus Nunes is sold in the final week of the transfer window, sources have told Football Insider.

Football Insider revealed on Friday (25 August) that Man City remain confident of landing Nunes, 24, this summer and are ready to increase their bid to almost £60million.

The Citizens have already seen an opening bid for the Portugal international rejected.

O’Neil’s side have already sold the likes of Ruben Neves, Raul Jimenez and Nathan Collins this summer.

It is believed that Wolves needed to raise around £80-90million in sales going into the transfer window, and that target has now been met.

A well-placed source has told Football Insider that some of any potential fee for Nunes could now be reinvested in the playing squad.

O’Neil, who succeeded Julen Lopetegui on the eve of the 2023-24 campaign, wants reinforcements at centre-back, central midfield and at centre-forward.

Wolves have added just two players to last season’s squad – with Matt Doherty and Tom King joining on free transfers.

Nunes only arrived in England for a reported club-record fee of £42.2million last summer but is keen to quit the club to join treble-winning Man City.

O’Neil’s side have lost both of their opening two games this term following several key sales over the course of the window.

Wolves face Everton on Saturday (26 August) in their last game before the transfer window closes on 1 September.

The latest Wolves news from BirminghamLive as Gary O’Neil prepares his team to face Everton this weekend

Gary O’Neil insists Matheus Nunes is ‘an important player’ for Wolves with the club having already turned down on bid from Manchester City.

The Wolves boss, speaking ahead of Saturday’s trip to troubled Everton, was asked about the Portuguese international’s future with a second offer expected in the final six days of the transfer window.

The 24-year-old won’t be available for the trip to Goodison Park, having been sent off for two yellow cards in the heavy defeat to Brighton last time out – but O’Neil hopes to have the midfielder available for next weekend’s clash with Crystal Place and also in the longer term.

O’Neil told the club website: “He’s obviously suspended this weekend and Matheus is very disappointed that he’s missing because I know he wants to help the team. He’s an important player for us who has four or five years left on his contract, but we rejected a bid because we didn’t feel it met our valuation of what Matheus is worth to us.

“I don’t know the details of the bid and where it’s at, but all I know is that our valuation of Matheus wasn’t met. I’m head coach. I coach the team and the players who are available, and Matheus isn’t available this weekend.”

Wolves have had a rough summer, with familiar names like Ruben Neves and Adama Traore departing and only a couple of free transfers arriving. As the clock ticks down on the trading period he won’t want to lose any more, indeed he is hopeful of strengthening his squad.

“I see the group being as it is,” he said. “I’m not just talking about the Matheus Nunes situation, but with a deadline in place, you want things to be done soon if things are going to be done. But there’s a lot of parties involved in any transaction, so we’re not the only ones in control of when things get done. We’re in control of if they get done, and at the moment, it isn’t.

“I don’t think people leaving are the only way of people arriving. There are things going on and we’re hoping to add and make things a little bit stronger over the next week or so. We’re trying to be active in the market within our budget and within what suits the club, but it’s not dependant on others leaving.”