Vitoria Guimaraes' Burkinabe defender Edmond Tapsoba (L) vies with FC Porto's Colombian forward Luis Diaz during the Portuguese Taca da Liga or League Cup semifinal football match between Vitoria Guimaraes SC and FC Porto at the Municipal stadium of Braga in Braga on January 22, 2020. (Getty Images)
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Wolves signing this 8-goal young defender would be quite useful and here’s why

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Why Wolves should make a move for Edmond Tapsoba before deadline

According to Portuguese newspaper O Jogo (h/t The Leicester Mercury), Wolves and Leicester City are interested in signing defender Edmond Tapsoba from Vitoria Guimaraes.

Edmond Tapsoba, 20, is in his first full season in Vitoria Guimaraes’ first team and has racked up 32 appearances across all competitions, from which he has scored an impressive 8 goals. (h/t Dailymail)

O Jogo (h/t The Leicester Mercury) claims Bayer Leverkusen are also interested and have made an €18million offer for the defender, but Wolves and Leicester City have raised their offers to €20million.

Vitoria Guimaraes' Burkinabe defender Edmond Tapsoba headers the ball during their UEFA Europa league Group F football match between Arsenal and Vitoria Guimaraes at the Emirates stadium in London on October 24, 2019. (Getty Images)
Vitoria Guimaraes’ Burkinabe defender Edmond Tapsoba headers the ball during their UEFA Europa League Group F football match between Arsenal and Vitoria Guimaraes at the Emirates stadium in London on October 24, 2019. (Getty Images)

Wolves are currently 7th in the table but level on 34 points with Tottenham and Manchester United. Nuno Espirito Santo’s aim should be to achieve Champions League qualification and that’s realistic, considering fourth-placed Chelsea are just six points ahead of them.

The Wanderers announced their second signing of the January transfer window on Wednesday, signing French youth international midfielder Enzo Loiodice on loan from Dijon until the end of the season.

With Wolves completing the signing of Daniel Podence as well, Nuno should now shift his focus towards strengthening the defence.

Olympiakos winger Daniel Podence in action. (Getty Images)
Daniel Podence is now a Wolves player (Getty Images)

Wolves have leaked 32 goals in 24 league games so far this season. Conor Coady has been a regular fixture since the start of the campaign but his last season’s partners at the back – Willy Boly and Ryan Bennett – haven’t enjoyed consistent game time.

Boly has just returned from injury and Bennett has struggled for form, forcing Nuno to go with midfielders Romain Saiss and Leander Dendoncker in defence.

And with Real Madrid cutting defender Jesus Vallejo’s loan spell short at Molineux, Wolves would do a smart job by signing the defender’s replacement in January. In that regard, Nuno should go for Edmond Tapsoba.

Wolves manager Nuno Espirito Santo celebrates after the full-time whistle. (Getty Images)
Wolves manager Nuno Espirito Santo celebrates after the full-time whistle. (Getty Images)

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Tapsoba made his official debut for Vitoria Guimaraes this season and has developed himself well, with his performances not going unnoticed, as evident from the transfer link to Wolves, Bayer Leverkusen and Leicester City.

The Burkinabe international is just 20 years old and has a long way to go to fulfil his true potential.

Verdict

In Ruben Neves, Ruben Vinagre, Pedro Neto and Morgan Gibbs-White, the Wanderers have a plethora of exciting young talents and Nuno is someone who has always promoted youth, as evident from the game time the above-mentioned players have been receiving. So a move for the young Tapsoba certainly makes sense for Wolves.