This article is part of Football FanCast’s In Numbers series, which takes a statistical look at performances, season-long form and reported transfer targets…
The transfer window may now be on the verge of closing but Wolves’ business has only just truly begun.
They’ve brought in Jesus Vallejo from Real Madrid whilst Patrick Cutrone has also arrived from AC Milan after being lured from the Italian giants.
Also on the club’s radar has been Ruben Dias but the mercurial talent of Dani Olmo is one that arguably catches the eye the most.
A report last weekend suggested that Wolves were interested in the attacking midfielder in a deal that could cost them €25m (£22.8m).
If you don’t know the words to the Joao Moutinho chant in the video below, are you even a real Wolves fan?…
Wolves lacked a direct number 10 in their ranks besides Morgan Gibbs-White last season, so he’d add a valuable layer to their already well-balanced side.
Olmo was in superb form during the U21 European Championships this summer, scoring three times in four matches as Spain won the tournament.
He was particularly impressive for his country but he also stood out for Dinamo Zagreb, scoring 12 times in all competitions whilst starring in their 2018/19 Europa League campaign.
The dynamic 21-year-old was a huge influence going forward but it’s his dribbles per game that will likely whet the appetite the most.
He completed three per match which is streets ahead of any player currently in the Wolves side. During Premier League action last term, Adama Traore completed 2.2 on average every 90 minutes whilst Diogo Jota only managed 1.7 per match.
The Spaniard regularly finds a way past his marker but his close touch control also draws plenty of fouls from the opposition. As displayed, he drew 3.6 on average from his marker each match, a statistic that also blows the entire Wolves team out of the water.
With that in mind, it could be incredibly beneficial for Ruben Neves, a proven set-piece taker.
Per Understat, Neves took 11 direct free-kicks in 2018/19, two of which he scored from.
There were also a number of efforts saved as his expected goals per game from those types of situations was 0.83, the second-most of any scenario he had an attempt on goal from.
Therefore, if Olmo joins Wolves and is fouled as regularly as he was in the Europa League, it could help Neves to improve particularly in terms of the number of goal involvements he registers.
Judging by those at Wolves, only Jota, who was brought down 1.7 times per game, was fouled on a regular basis.
As a result, adding someone like Olmo to their armoury can have a hugely positive impact.
