The bargain summer signing Wolves should move heaven and earth to seal

Statements of intent; so often we hear about them, so often they mean next to nothing. It’s a bit of a philosophical poser, but if everybody harbours portents of ambition, is anybody actually ambitious? At what point do we stop acknowledging the desire to recruit the best players possible as some kind of special case, and instead recognise that it is just the norm? Every signing, in short, should be a statement of intent.

Then again, some are just more impressive than others, aren’t they? Take, for instance, the possibility of little old Wolves - a club who haven’t lifted a major trophy since 1980 - swooping for a 35-cap Brazilian international who has contested title races all across Europe and played in an actual Champions League final. That’s the kind of transfer that makes you sit up and take notice. That’s the kind of transfer that gets the blood pumping.

It could happen too. Lucas Moura is out of contract at Tottenham Hotspur this summer. He will not be signing another one. As such, there is mounting speculation over where his next destination might be, and while the likes of Aston Villa and Newcastle United are understood to be firmly in the running, Wolves are getting their fair share of honourable mentions too. For what it’s worth, I really do think they should go all out to sign him.

On a basic, logical level, a move for Moura makes a lot of sense from a Wanderers perspective. Here we have a undeniable talent who has made over 150 Premier League appearances, who has scored and assisted goals wherever he has played throughout his career, and who, at the age of 30, is far from finished at the top level. The fact that he is available on a free transfer just happens to be a bonus. There is a reason why Newcastle and Villa, with their various European aspirations next term, are credited with an interest.

But there are also reasons as to why Molineux could make the most sense for him. For far too long, Moura has been demoted to an afterthought. On his day, he can be as effective and as dangerous as the very best in the game, but opportunities for him to showcase that lethal streak have been growing rarer and rarer in recent campaigns. This season, as an example, he was reduced to just 15 Premier League appearances for Tottenham, and every single one of them came from the bench.

In the Midlands, however, he could be a big deal once again. The way that Wolves play, with their emphasis on a roving cavalcade of technically astute players who attack with width and fluidity, would suit him down to the ground. Whether it is out on the wing or in the hole behind a more traditional centre forward, the South American has the ability to influence and create in abundance, and with uncertainty surrounding the futures of Adama Traore and Joao Moutinho, among others, Wanderers are going to need new additions who are capable of making a difference in the final third.

Perhaps most significant, though, is that it just sort of feels... right. Already Wolves have their strong contingent of Portuguese-speaking talents. Already they have shown that they are willing to make deals with players who other clubs might dismiss because of age. Already they have proven that they are capable of attracting names that boast a considerable amount of sheen and renown, and that they have a good nose for an improbable bargain.

Moura joining Wanderers would catch the eye for a whole host of reasons, but when the dust settled and the novelty subsided, he would be slot right in as part of the furniture. And then, you would assume, he could thrive.

For large swathes of the season that has just ended, Wolves were lacking in any real sustained dynamism on the front foot. That has to change if they are to reestablish themselves as genuine contenders of European qualification next term. Signing Moura would not necessarily rectify things on its own, but it would be a very, very good start.