Wolves forgotten talent set to become a key player

Monday was an unforgettable night for Wolverhampton Wanderers but for all the wrong reasons as Gary O’Neil’s side succumbed to a late penalty to lose 3-2 away at Craven Cottage.

The Midlands club conceded two questionable spot-kicks in the second half which head coach O’Neil labelled as “mind-boggling” in his post-match press conference, admitting he has “turned against VAR”.

The Algerian defender is still being assessed and his return date is unknown, but it has recently been reported that Wolves could lose the 22-year-old outright in January, leaving O’Neil in a bit of a pickle with regard to his wingback situation.

Ait Nouri moved to Molineux back in 2020, initially on loan, but eventually signed permanently for £10m from French outfit Angers and was a squad player in his first three seasons with The Wanderers.

However, the Algeria international has grown into his own this term under O’Neil and has become one of the first names on the teamsheet, starting 92% of Wolves’ games in the Premier League this season.

However, according to Sports Zone, Ait Nouri has become a top target for Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain ahead of the January transfer window, with Nuno Mendes currently sidelined for another two months, having undergone surgery on a hamstring problem he sustained at the end of September.

The wingback is Wolves’ most valuable player and his market value has risen to £21.6m as recent as October, as per Transfermarkt, meaning the club could recuperate more than double the money they paid for him two-and-a-half years ago.

If Wolves lose one of their star defenders, O’Neil could be forced to turn to an old flame in the second half of the campaign.

Jonny Otto is one of the only players left at Wolves who featured during the club’s first season back in the top flight, having joined midway through the 2018/19 campaign for £18m from Atletico Madrid.

The Spaniard has been a key player for the Midlands side for a large bulk of his time at the club, having featured on the left and right of both a back five and a back four.