Wolverhampton Wanderers are looking to seal a summer move for Rochdale centre-back Ryan Delaney. According to a recent report in the English media, Wolves are set to go head to head with Middlesbrough in pursuit of the Republic of Ireland under-21 international’s signature. The 21-year-old only signed for League One outfit Rochdale in the January transfer period from Burton Albion, but his commanding presence in defence and mature performances have caught the eyes of a number of teams in the Skybet Championship.
Delaney has featured in 33 matches for Cork City last year during his loan spell from Burton, and he put in some fine displays during his time at Turner’s Cross. The 6ft 5 defender is highly versatile and primarily operates as a centre-back although he can be utilised as a right-back if needed which makes him a useful asset for Wolves if they are successful in luring him to the Molineux Stadium.
Delaney has one international cap to his name when he represented the Republic of Ireland Under 21 side against Azerbaijan U-21 in the UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualifiers.
Wolves are currently leading the Championship by 12 points with a tally of 71 points in 31 matches. Nuno Espírito Santo’s side are cruising in the second tier of English football and are set to earn promotion back to the Premier League at the end of the current campaign. They are slowly but surely building for the future and adopting a plan for the long run at the Molineux Stadium with the potential addition of Delaney next summer being a clear indication of the club’s long-term approach. The West Midlands outfit boasts the trio of Ryan Bennett, Conor Coady and Willy Boly in their first-team at the moment and the recruitment of the Rochdale centre-back will give them some added cover next season.
The acquisition of Republic of Ireland youngster will undoubtedly bolster Nuno Espirito Santo’s defensive options ahead of the new campaign. However, he is still unproven at the top level and could need time to break into the Wolves first-team. At 21, he has immense potential which he can look to fulfil at the Molineux Stadium in the coming years. The Skybet Championship leaders are currently preparing for a trip to Preston North End on Saturday at the back of a hard-fought 2-1 victory against Queens Park Rangers in their last league outing.
It remains to be seen whether they can fend off stiff competition from Middlesbrough in pursuit of the defensive starlet in the near future.
