Wolves are set to announce their eighth signing of the 2018 summer window in AS Monaco’s Joao Moutinho. A fee of £5m has already been agreed upon with the Ligue 1 outfit as Nuno Espirito Santo prepares to welcome yet another Portuguese into the Molineux. The Wanderers have further raided the Monaco ranks for the permanent transfer of 19-year-old fullback, Ruben Vinagre.
Moutinho could be one of the leading figures in a very youth dominant Wolves squad. The veteran midfielder is coming off his fifth season with the French outfit, having made well over 200 appearances for the club. He also was on display for Portugal in the 2018 FIFA World Cup and now has 113 caps for his country.
He is one of the most experienced players in the European top-flight and will certainly add a lot of quality to the Wanderers midfield. Moutinho could act as a role model for Ruben Neves and a number of the club’s younger players. The 31-year-old joined the Sporting Lisbon youth academy when he was only 13 and went on to make 228 appearances for the Eagles. He registered 28 goals and 27 assists to go along with it.
He signed with rival outfit, FC Porto in the summer of 2010 and played three seasons with them. After making 140 appearances and scoring 10 goals for Porto, Moutinho was brought over by Monaco as a part of their heavy investment strategy ahead of the 2013/14 campaign.
Moutinho made his official debut for the side against Olympique Marseille and immediately settled himself into the club’s starting XI. He helped the side to the Ligue 1 title in 2017 and previously won the Europa League with Porto. The midfielder has done remarkably well during his professional career and is finally ready to make his way over to the Premier League. He is one of the most composed heads on the pitch known for his range of passing and distinct creative abilities.
Standing at 5 feet 7 inches tall, he is incredibly agile and has the technical abilities to fully drive his team’s offence. Moutinho could perform a similar role at the Molineux and team up with Neves to get the front line of Diogo Jota, Leo Bonatini and Helder Costa going.
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Despite Wolves’ tendency to sign younger players, getting an experienced leader such as Moutinho is a wise move. The midfielder somehow finishes off the attacking lineup by adding experience and leadership to the Wanderers lineup.
