Wolverhampton Wanderers will secure the signing of an experienced defender at Molineux “very soon”, transfer insider Dean Jones has told GIVEMESPORT.
Julen Lopetegui hopes to make the first outfield addition to his Wolves squad this summer, as the club look to improve on last season’s 13th-placed Premier League finish.
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Wolves have made just one signing this summer, bringing in former Northampton Town goalkeeper Tom King on a free transfer, as Lopetegui adds a third-choice stopper to his squad.
Wanderers are working on a limited budget this summer, tasked with generating revenue through sales and astute signings to comply with the Premier League’s Financial Fair Play regulations.
In keeping with that strategy, Wolves have identified former wing-back Matt Doherty as a target for the summer, who is available as a free agent after leaving Atletico Madrid at the end of last season.
Journalist Tom Collomosse claims the 6 foot 1 star is set for a medical with the club today, ahead of completing a return to the side he left in 2020, whilst the Express & Star's Liam Keen has revealed that Doherty will sign a three-year deal.
The 31-year-old, who reportedly earned £74,000 per week at Tottenham Hotspur, made 302 appearances during his previous spell at Molineux, hitting the back of the net 28 times and registering 41 assists.
However, the 36-cap Republic of Ireland international struggled to nail down a place following his move to Tottenham three years ago, before a short-lived spell in Spain ended after just six months.
Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano recently told GIVEMESPORT that Wolves are in “advanced negotiations” to bring Doherty, once dubbed “superb” by pundit Danny Mills, back to Molineux.
And Jones says he doesn’t know enough about a deal for Wolves to sign Borussia Monchengladbach and Switzerland centre-back Nico Elvedi to comment but believes Wolves fans are split over the decision to bring Doherty back to the club.
What has Jones said about Wolves and Doherty?
Jones told GIVEMESPORT: “I don't know enough about the Elvedi one. But in terms of Doherty, this one is progressing and should be done very soon.
“People who have worked for or played at Wolves seem to be talking this one up. People are split on it, it seems. Some think it’s a good idea for Doherty to return to this Wolves set-up.
“A lot of fans don't have that same view. Some look at this as a step back, as somebody who won’t have the same motivation as they once had when wearing a Wolves shirt. So, it will be interesting to see how Doherty does.”
Who else could Wolves sign this summer?
Doherty is not the only name on Wolves’ transfer shortlist, as the Black Country outfit aim to make their mark in the summer window.
According to The Telegraph’s John Percy, Wolves’ bid worth more than £20m to Bristol City for the services of midfielder Alex Scott has been rejected.
However, the West Midlands outfit should make another offer this week, desperate to replace the experience and nous of the departed Joao Moutinho and Ruben Neves.
Meanwhile, as previously mentioned, Wolves are reportedly in advanced negotiations to sign Monchengladbach defender Elvedi.
Football Insider claims that Lopetegui’s side are working on a £7.7m deal to sign the 26-year-old, who has entered the last year of his contract with the Bundesliga outfit.