Why this £26million beast could be the ideal striker for Wolves in the Premier League

As per reports in the Portugese media, EFL Championship winners Wolverhampton Wanderers are interested in making a move for FC Porto striker Moussa Marega.

The 27-year-old has been on the radar of fellow Midlands club Aston Villa as well and now Wolves too have entered the race for the Malian striker.

Nuno Espirito Santo’s men finished the season as winners of the English second division, earning promotion to the Premier League. The manager is keen on strengthening the team’s ranks ahead of their return to the top tier.

Wolves had relied heavily on the goals of Brazilian striker Leo Bonatini for the first half of the 2017/18 campaign, while the likes of Diogo Jota and Ivan Cavaleiro also chipped in with goals on a consistent basis. However, the club still are undecided on whether to sign Bonatini on a permanent deal in the summer, with the permanent deal for Jota also yet to be done.

Wolves were also linked with Bournemouth forward Benik Afobe, who they brought in on loan for the second half of the campaign, during which he scored 6 goals in 16 appearances. However, it is understood that the club are considering pulling the plug on the chance to sign him permanently, making the need of a new striker imperative in the transfer window. 

Marega, 27, signed for Porto in the winter window of 2016 from Portuguese outfit Maritimo, after having spent time in France and Tunisia.

The forward managed just a single strike between then and the end of the campaign and was shipped out on loan to Vitoria Guimaraes for the 2016/17 season, where he flourished, scoring 14 goals and setting up 8 more in 31 appearances. 

Having returned to Porto for the 2017/18 campaign, Marega emerged as one of the Portuguese side’s best players, firing them to the league title, with 22 goals and 5 assists from 29 games. His tally was the third highest in the competition, behind Benfica’s Jonas and Sporting’s Bas Dost.

Capable of playing anywhere in the attacking third, Marega is an extremely versatile operator but is at his lethal best operating as a centre-forward or on the right-wing.

Strong and robust, the 27-year-old is capable of going toe to toe physically against defenders and usually comes out on top in the aerial duels, making him a huge threat from crosses and set-pieces. 

Good in the air, the 13-time capped Malian international is an even better finisher with his feet and is known for his predatory instincts and clinical nature in front of the goal. Throw into the mix his blistering pace and ability to dribble past defenders, Wolves will have an all-round striker who is coming in on the back of an excellent season and still has his best years ahead of him.

Marega has a contract with Porto that runs for two more years, which also contains a release clause of £35million. However, the Portuguese champions are willing to accept an offer in the range of £26million, as they are looking to offload players amidst Financial Fair Play concerns. At that price, Marega could prove to be quite a brilliant signing for Wolves.