The genius Wolves defensive transfer that could become bargain of the summer window

When Vitor Pereira took over as Wolves manager just before Christmas, he inherited the worst defence in the Premier League. In just 16 games, the side had shipped a monstrous 40 goals under Gary O’Neil – even Southampton were better at the back. Since Pereira’s appointment, at least, things have changed for the better.

In the 17 games Wolves have played since the former Porto coach took over, they have let just 21 goals in, a record only seven top-flight teams can better. Still, for all that the new manager has managed to add some much-needed structural integrity to a previously abysmal defence, there is plenty of work left to be done – fortunately, there’s at least one impending free agent who might be precisely what the club needs to tighten things up even further…

The Manchester United man who could be just what Wolves want

Wolves might have improved considerably under Pereira, but they still need to make changes this summer to be a truly competitive team in the Premier League, especially given the likelihood that striker Matheus Cunha will leave this summer.

Manchester United are reportedly interested in triggering the Brazilian’s £62.5m release clause, and while that creates a major problem in the coming transfer market, it also means that the club should be in good shape with regards to the Premier League’s financial rules.

According to The Athletic, Wolves had an estimated £15m breathing space under the profit and sustainability regulations after the 2023/24 season, and with the club earning nearly £90m from the sales of Max Kilman and Pedro Neto while working with a net spend of barely more than £5m for the season, they should be in good shape this summer. But given that Wolves will likely need to sign several players, including a new striker to replace Cunha, they will still be well-served looking for ways to economise – and one of United’s own outgoing players, Victor Lindelöf, may be the kind of bargain they need.

The 30-year-old has not featured extensively since Ruben Amorim took over and often underwhelmed under his predecessor, Erik ten Hag. The Swede simply didn’t suit the scheme of either head coach, and demonstrated limitations which sometimes frustrated the fans at Old Trafford.

Pereira’s Wolves, however, might be a better fit for him – and they almost certainly need to sign a new centre-back this summer to provide options. Craig Dawson, soon to be 35 years old, is out of contract, and their ‘first reserve’ across Pereira’s back three in recent weeks has been 33-year-old full-back Matt Doherty.

In short, past the first-choice back line of Toti Gomes, Emmanuel Agbadou and Santiago Bueno, the cupboard looks rather bare, and with Dawson expected to leave a cheap replacement would be ideal. Lindelöf, with a reputation to rebuild and no up-front cost, may be a worthwhile target.

Why Victor Lindelöf is the kind of defender Wolves need

At times, mostly prior to the arrival of Ten Hag, Lindelöf had seemed like one of the more reliable (if less flashy) players at Manchester United – but between intermittent injuries and the adoption of a system which plays to his weaknesses rather than his strengths, he has effectively been sidelined under consecutive managers and is set to leave on a free at the end of June.

In recent years, whenever Lindelöf’s future came up in the gossip columns, some big sides were reportedly interested, with Inter Milan’s name coming up on a regular basis – but with just weeks left before he leaves Old Trafford, there are no tangible links between the Swede and any side. There may be an opening for a ‘smaller’ side to make a sales pitch.

Perhaps teams like Inter are put off by the weaknesses he undeniably has. His lack of pace means he doesn’t suit systems which allow opposing teams space and time to run at the defence, something which was precisely the case with Ten Hag’s deep defensive line and large gaps between his midfield and back four.

In those high-speed one-on-one situations, Lindelöf is something of liability, but in a more condensed formations his composed reading of the game, good judgement in the tackle and his excellent positional game come to the fore – and condensing the field is a part of what Pereira has done so well since taking over.

Under O’Neil, Wolves had one of the deepest defensive lines in the division, but with Pereira in charge the gap between defence, midfield and attack has shrunk considerably, giving opposing attackers less space to build up steam between the lines and fewer opportunities to create one-on-one situations against backtracking defenders.

It’s possible that Pereira would want a natural ball-playing defender, of course. Both Agbadou and Gomes are more than willing to take the ball out of defence or look for more direct passes downfield, something that Lindelöf – like Bueno, to an extent – is less keen on. The Swede is an accurate and economical passer who rarely loses the ball, but not an especially venturesome one.

The soon-to-be free agent isn’t necessarily a perfect fit for Wolves, but would offer a combination of experience, quality and perhaps cheapness. His wage demands could be somewhat hefty, although he’ll likely know he won’t command top dollar at 30 after two years on the bench.

Wolves should be in good enough financial shape this summer to make one or two measured splashes in the transfer window, but they will still need to be careful not to overspend – and they may find some answers in an unusually deep free agent pool. Perhaps Lindelöf could be one of them. Certainly the next steps in his career are entirely unclear as it stands.