Wolves open talks over deal to sign “powerful” £13m Olympic gold medallist

Wolverhampton Wanderers are now in talks over a deal to sign a “powerful” defender, and they are in a strong position to win the race for his signature, according to a report.

Wolves looking to bolster defensive options

Wolves were vulnerable defensively for large parts of the 2024-25 campaign, particularly struggling to prevent their opponents scoring from set-pieces, and they have now set out to upgrade their backline this summer.

Several targets have been identified at centre-back, including Udinese’s Thomas Kristensen and Christopher Wooh, while Vitor Pereira may also be required to bring in a new right-back, with Nelson Semedo still yet to commit to a new contract.

The Old Gold are still working on keeping Semedo at Molineux, with a new deal being offered, but the full-back is yet to give them an answer, amid interest from Manchester United, who have held internal talks over a move for the 31-year-old.

As such, Pereira may also be eager to get a new right-back through the door this summer, and Wolves are one of two clubs best positioned to sign Almeria’s Marc Pubill, according to a report from Marca (via Sport Witness).

Talks have been opened over a deal for Pubill, with Almeria looking to receive a fee of €15m (£13m) after failing to achieve their goal of promotion to La Liga last season, and the next few days will be key in terms of his future.

The defender is said to be considering offers from both AC Milan and the Old Gold, indicating that a proposal of sorts has already been made by the Premier League club, and he now has a big decision to make.

“Powerful” Pubill could be solid long-term Semedo heir

Of course, everyone at Wolves will be hoping that Semedo commits his future to the club, given that the right-back remained a key player last season, making 34 Premier League appearances, but the Almeria full-back could be a solid long-term replacement.

Perhaps most notably, the Spaniard is an Olympic gold medallist, having been a part of the squad that was crowned champions at Paris 2024, scoring his side’s first goal in the competition.

The 22-year-old is not afraid to push further up the pitch and contribute going forward, as pointed out by football scout Ben Mattinson, who described him as “marauding” earlier this month.

Pubill’s exploits for his country indicate that he could be a fantastic signing for Wolves, capable of making an instant impact at Molineux, and at £13m, a deal for the full-back would not break the bank.