OPINION
Despite only just acquiring left-back Ruben Vinagre on a permanent deal after his loan spell last season, Wolves would be daft not to snap up an experienced option to battle it out with Barry Douglas as they look to take the Premier League head on.
With Everton and Huddersfield reportedly chasing after Marvin Plattenhardt’s services, according to Bild, Wolves must brush them both aside and swoop for the German international to demote Vinagre to third choice left-back for now.
Plattenhardt’s performances for Bundesliga outfit Hertha Berlin – who finished sixth in Germany’s top-flight – over the course of last season earned him a call-up to the national squad for this summer’s World Cup, in which they crashed out at the group stage.
At 26-years-old, the left-back has the vital experience needed to play in the Premier League with Wolves, rather than Vinagre, who has limited experience in a top-flight as a 19-year-old.
There is no doubting that Vinagre has the talent, but Plattenhardt is far more capable of playing in such a competitive league.
The 5’9″ (source: Transfermarkt), six-cap star – who made his international debut in 2017 – was one of the Bundesliga’s best left-backs last season, and as a result, has attracted a lot of interest from England.
One of his specialities is taking free-kicks, a quality that boss Nuno Espirito Santo would appreciate hugely, and while Douglas has cemented his place as the club’s first-choice left-back, Plattenhardt would provide more than suitable back-up to the 28-year-old.
He was a part of Germany’s ‘B’ team that won the Confederations Cup last summer, which gives Nuno Espirito Santo even more reason to snap him up, and the club are in a financial position whereby they ca acquire a player of Plattenhardt’s calibre.
They may face stern competition in the form of their Premier League rivals, but they must pounce for the German in order to push Vinagre down the pecking order.