Wolves’ Near Misses: The Transfer Tales That Still Haunt Molineux
For Wolverhampton Wanderers, the transfer window has increasingly become a reminder of missed opportunities rather than one of triumphant acquisitions. While many Premier League clubs reflect on who they’ve signed, Wolves are often left reflecting on who they didn’t.
In the cutthroat world of modern football, success in the transfer market can mean the difference between European nights and relegation battles. It’s a ruthless landscape where hesitation can be fatal — and for Wolves, some of their most fateful hesitations have come at exactly the wrong moments.
Over the past five years, the club has been on the verge of signing players who have gone on to become some of the biggest names in world football. These weren’t hopeful punts or wild transfer rumours — they were close. So close that some players had already spoken to representatives, had prices agreed, or even had Wolves’ scouts and directors flying across continents to seal the deals.
And yet, it wasn’t meant to be.
The list of near-misses is growing — and painful:
Viktor Gyökeres, now a world-class striker attracting attention from Manchester United and Arsenal.
William Saliba, one of the best central defenders on the planet and a rock in Arsenal’s title-challenging team.
Enzo Fernández, the Argentinian midfield general who exploded in Europe, won the World Cup, and became the most expensive player in British football history — all after Wolves let him slip through their fingers.
Each of these players was within reach. Each time, Wolves blinked first. And each time, the consequences have been enormous.
Let’s break down each missed signing — what happened, what it meant, and how Wolves can move forward from a pattern that’s costing them dearly.
Viktor Gyökeres: The Deal That Fell Apart in the Boardroom
Wolves were ready to pounce in 2023. With a struggling front line and a need for a mobile, physically dominant striker, they had identified Viktor Gyökeres as their man. The Swede had just concluded a fantastic season at Coventry City, scoring 21 goals in the Championship and proving himself as one of the most complete forwards in the division.
Everything was in place. The clubs were talking, the structure of the deal was being finalised. But then — radio silence.
According to reports, the deal collapsed because Jeff Shi, Wolves’ chairman, wasn’t in the country to approve the final negotiations. It sounds almost too frustrating to be true, and yet it fits a pattern. Wolves hesitated, failed to act decisively, and Sporting CP — no strangers to developing and flipping talent for profit — swooped in and sealed the deal.
One year later, Gyökeres had delivered a truly extraordinary season:
54 goals in 52 matches, including league and European competitions.
Linked with top clubs across Europe, with an asking price now upwards of £80 million.
Dominated defenders with a mixture of pace, power, hold-up play, and killer instinct.
At 26, he is arguably in the form of his life — and it could have been Wolves enjoying that purple patch. Instead, they struggled for goals last season, rotating between underperforming forwards and lacking a clear focal point in attack. The absence of a striker like Gyökeres was telling — and costly.
William Saliba: A Defender Ignored
Back in 2019, William Saliba was just another highly-rated teenager in Ligue 1. Wolves had watched him closely at Saint-Étienne, admiring his confidence on the ball, positional intelligence, and imposing physique.
He was 18, raw, but with massive potential — the kind of player Wolves had made a habit of developing and showcasing. The club was well-placed to sign him, but they opted not to proceed with a formal bid. Arsenal did — and paid £27 million for a player who didn’t even make an immediate impact. Instead, he spent time out on loan in France, with some doubting whether he’d ever live up to the fee.
Fast forward to 2025, and Saliba is arguably the best central defender in the Premier League. He has become the foundation of Arsenal’s backline, essential to Mikel Arteta’s tactical approach, and central to France’s defensive plans at international level.
For Wolves, who have struggled with defensive consistency and depth in recent years, passing on Saliba is the kind of decision that hurts both on and off the pitch. He’s not just a great player — he represents what Wolves could have been building around.
Enzo Fernández: The £17 Million That Became £106.8 Million
The biggest “what if” of them all.
In the summer of 2022, Wolves were actively pursuing Enzo Fernández, then still playing for River Plate in Argentina. The club had done their homework. The scouting reports were glowing. They even sent Sporting Director Matt Hobbs to Argentina to close the deal. The price? A bargain by today’s standards — £17 million.
But Wolves moved too slowly. Benfica had already entered the fray and secured the player’s signature. Within six months, Fernández had adapted to European football like he was born for it. He starred in the Champions League, controlled games in midfield, and caught the attention of the world at the 2022 World Cup, where he played a key role in Argentina’s title-winning campaign and earned the Best Young Player award.
By January 2023, Chelsea had signed him for a British-record £106.8 million. Wolves were left with nothing — not even a loan option.
Fast forward to the present, and Fernández is beginning to justify the fee. After a mixed first season at Chelsea, he flourished in 2024/25:
9 goals, 16 assists in all competitions.
A growing presence in Chelsea’s midfield, controlling tempo and providing cutting-edge passes.
Now starring at the Club World Cup, scoring and assisting as Chelsea pursue global silverware.
Even more ironic? The man who nearly brought him to Wolves, Bruno Lage, is now managing Benfica — and before Benfica’s showdown with Chelsea, he confirmed that Wolves were very close to signing the midfielder. Lage even labelled Fernández as “one of the best midfielders in the world.”
Wolves had him. And they lost him.
A Pattern of Hesitation — and a Future at Stake
The core problem isn’t scouting — Wolves are clearly identifying high-level talent. It’s execution. It’s the inability to act swiftly, confidently, and decisively when an opportunity presents itself.
There is a worrying trend of almost deals:
Nearly signing Julian Álvarez, who went on to win the World Cup and play for Manchester City.
Being in the mix for Luis Díaz, who joined Liverpool instead.
Linked with Matheus Cunha early, only to wait until his value had tripled.
These are not small slip-ups. These are decisions that impact a club’s trajectory, identity, and financial model. Wolves were once celebrated for their forward-thinking recruitment under Nuno Espírito Santo, unearthing gems like Diogo Jota, Rúben Neves, and Pedro Neto. But recent years have brought more near misses than masterstrokes.
And while João Gomes, Hugo Bueno, and Bellegarde offer glimpses of hope, Wolves need more than glimpses — they need a clear identity and strategy in the market.
The Way Forward: What Wolves Must Do
- Appoint Decisive Leadership
Transfer deals don’t wait. If the right people aren’t in the room, the player goes elsewhere. Wolves need a structure where key decisions can be made even in Jeff Shi’s absence. Empower the recruitment staff, set clear spending parameters, and move fast.
- Trust the Scouts — and Take the Risk
The scouting department is spotting incredible talent. The club must trust their judgement and pull the trigger early, even if it means taking a risk on unproven players. Benfica did with Fernández. Sporting did with Gyökeres. Wolves could’ve done the same.
- Sign the Right Midfielder Now
With João Gomes better suited as a destroyer and Bellegarde not fully unlocked in central areas, Wolves urgently need a dynamic, box-to-box midfielder who can score, create, and lead. Waiting for the next Enzo is no longer an option — they need to find him now, not after he’s worth £100 million.
- Don’t Repeat History
Every year, a few young stars fly under the radar before exploding on the global stage. Wolves must act before the explosion. Identify the player, pay the price, and avoid losing the next Fernández or Gyökeres to indecision.
Conclusion: What Might Have Been — and What Still Could Be
For Wolves supporters, the stories of Viktor Gyökeres, William Saliba, and Enzo Fernández represent more than just missed transfers — they represent missed eras. Each of those players could have been the face of the team, changing results, changing perceptions, and maybe even changing Wolves’ place in the football pyramid.
Instead, they became reminders — reminders of what could have been.
But this doesn’t have to define Wolves.