Wolverhampton Wanderers will be "looking for good value" in the summer transfer window as the club deal with their precarious financial situation, claims transfer insider Dean Jones.
Wolverhampton Wanderers transfer news – what's going on with Wolves financial situation?
It could be a lean summer in terms of incomings for Wolves this year as the club get to grips with financial problems caused, in part, by last season's massive spending that saw them fork out over £100m in player signings.
According to the Athletic, the Old Gold are not expected to breach the league's profit and sustainability rules at this moment in time, but another summer of spending big with little coming into the club would put them at serious risk.
The club have at least made some sales this year, with the biggest being club captain Ruben Neves who was the talk of the footballing world recently following his decision to join Saudi Pro-League side Al Hilal – a deal which netted wolves £47m.
The unfavourable financial situation in the Midlands also caused concern last month that manager Julen Lopetegui would leave after he told the press:
"It is one thing that I didn't know before we came here. It is not my issue, of course I hope the thing will improve and be better for us to be able to compete well next season."
What has transfer insider Dean Jones said about Wolverhampton Wanderer's summer transfer window?
Jones was blunt about the prospect of Wolves signing any high-value players in the summer, noting that instead, the team will likely have to be clever and find the best value in the market that they can.
Speaking to Football FanCast, he said: "Wolves are just looking for good value, I can't see them spending more than 20 million pounds on a single player in this summer window. So this is going to be about unearthing a gem, or taking advantage of the free agencies or the loan deals that are available out there, but it's going to be a tricky one for wolves."
Who are Wolverhampton Wanderers' three most expensive signings ever?
With the club unlikely to spend big anytime soon, who are some players they have stumped the cash up for?
In third place is Raul Jimenez, a Mexican international and a cult hero for some at the club. Jimenez cost Wolves a tasty £34.2m when they signed him from Benfica on a permanent deal in the summer of 2019.
Since making his debut for the side, he has scored 57 goals and assisted 24 – which could have been much higher had he not had that horror injury against Arsenal in 2020.
In second place is Fabio Silva, who cost the club a reported £36m when he signed from Porto in 2020.
It's fair to say that it has yet to entirely go to plan for the youngster in the Midlands, making 64 appearances for the side and producing just ten goal involvements – he has since gone on loan to PSV Eindhoven and RSC Anderlecht.
The most expensive signing in Wolves' history is former Sporting CP midfielder Matheus Nunes who cost the club £42.2m last summer.
It is still too early to cast judgment on his time with the Old Gold, but with just a single goal and assist from his 34 league games last year, he needs to up his output just a little bit to avoid some questions next year.