Why Wolves must bolster their attack in January by signing Joao Carvalho
Nottingham Forest broke their transfer record in the summer to bring in young Portuguese talent Joao Carvalho from Benfica. As reported by the BBC, he cost Forest a £13.2 million fee.
Joao Carvalho, 21, has shown glimpses of his real talent at Nottingham Forest, managing three goals and six assists in 26 Championship games so far. However, he has been criticised for a lack of consistency and dished out drab displays against Ipswich Town, Preston, Stoke City and Leeds United.
But one cannot ignore the young Portuguese’s ability to create things out of nothing and providing Forest with a different flair in the attack. Keeping the 21-year-old’s promising displays in mind, Wolverhampton Wanderers must make a move for him in the ongoing winter transfer window.
Wolverhampton Wanderers have blown hot and cold this season following their promotion to the Premier League. On their day, they can be a devastating force and Nuno Espirito Santo’s showed their class by beating Tottenham Hotspur last month. But when the chips are down, Wolves can be utterly mediocre which became evident in the 2-0 loss to Crystal Palace at the Molineux on Wednesday.
Even though Nuno spent well in the summer transfer window and made some really good signings, Wolves still lack quality when it comes to the attacking third of the pitch. Adama Traore arrived from Middlesbrough amidst a lot of fanfare in summer but apart from flashes of brilliance, he has been a disappointment.
Also, the likes of Diogo Jota, Ivan Cavaleiro and Helder Costa have failed to up their game in the top-flight, leaving summer signing Raul Jimenez to shoulder the goalscoring burden all by his own. Jimenez clearly requires support from his fellow attackers as the Mexican is bound to have off days going forward in the season.
A player like Joao Carvalho would be a welcome addition for Wolves. Standing at 5ft 8in, the 21-year-old is a technically-gifted and tactically versatile midfielder. He is predominantly a no.10 but he has also been used on either side of the attack.
The Portuguese is quite sharp and agile, loves to keep the ball at his feet and create opportunities for his teammates.
Blessed with brilliant vision and game-reading skills, Carvalho can pick out a pass and has the tendency of getting into scoring positions by making runs into the box. Furthermore, the Portuguese Under-21 international can terrify defenders with his intelligent movement and is also a composed finisher in front of goal.
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Joao Carvalho is an exciting prospect who has all the qualities to thrive in the Premier League under the watchful eyes of Nuno. He could help create more opportunities for Wolves by combining well with the likes of Jimenez, Jota and Traore in the final third.
That said, Wolves must bolster their attack in January by signing Carvalho from Nottingham Forest.