Premier League newcomers Wolves are interested in a move for record-breaking Chinese winger Wu Lei, according to the Express & Star.
The newspaper reports that the 26-year-old has emerged as an alternative target to Middlesbrough’s Adama Traore, with Wolves growing increasingly frustrated in their attempts to bring the Spaniard to Molineux.
Wu Lei is his club Shanghai SIPG’s all-time record goalscorer with 155, and the team’s most prolific appearance maker with 328. He is also close to breaking the Chinese Super League’s all time scoring record.
However, any move for the China international may be put on hold after the player suffered a suspected achilles injury in his side’s 5-1 win over Beijing Renhe on Saturday.
Good move for Wolves?
From a purely statistical standpoint this looks to be an extremely good move for Wolves. Wu Lei’s scoring record for a winger is nothing short of astonishing and it’s reassuring that he’s put together multiple impressive seasons for his club. His international record of 11 goals in 52 caps isn’t too shabby either. He is clearly one of the finest players currently competing in the Chinese Super League, so a move to Europe appears inevitable at some stage. Were Wolves to sign him now then it would be a risk due to the achilles injury, but perhaps some time to get used to his radically new surroundings in Wolverhampton would do him good anyway. You never know how players from other leagues are going to cope in the Premier League, but this one seems to make a lot of sense on paper.
This is Futbol rating: 7/10
Likely to happen?
Wu Lei’s unfortunate injury may have put a dampener on this deal, at least for now. Perhaps Wolves will step up their interest in Traore as a result, but Wu Lei may be a player they revisit in the January transfer window if they don’t make a move for him now.
This is Futbol rating: 5/10