Vitor Pereira lines up first Wolves signing, with Ligue 1 star tipped to fill problem position

Wolves have officially announced the appointment of new manager Vitor Pereira and reports suggest he’s already looking to bring in a new centre-back.

The West Midlands side have had a disastrous start to the season – picking up just nine points from 16 matches so far – a run that ultimately cost Gary O’Neil his job.

Pereira, 56, has been tasked with guiding Wolves away from the relegation zone. That’ll be a tough task though, with the club currently second-bottom and five points away from safety.

According to French outlet L’Equipe, Wolves are interested in Lens centre-back Kevin Danso, who has been ‘transfer listed’ as the French club look to generate funds from player sales.

The report explains that Lens sporting director Diego Lopez has been told to balance the books with sales and get star’s with big wages off the books, due to the side’s perilous financial situation.

Danso will be ‘on the way out’ in January if a suitable bid is lodged for him. Wolves, Southampton and Villarreal are all interested in the 26-year-old.

Danso is ready for a new challenge and came close to joining Roma this past summer, but Wolves may find it difficult to convince him to join amid their current relegation battle.

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Wolves NEED a new centre-back to survive

Sources have informed TEAMtalk that Wolves are ready to back Pereira with defensive reinforcements in January – and it’s little surprise they’ve been forced into it.

The club sold Max Kilman to West Ham for £40million this past summer and that has left a monumental void in the squad.

O’Neil generally used a three-at-the-back formation this season, featuring the likes of Mario Lemina, Craig Dawson and Santiago Bueno.

However, the approach clearly hasn’t worked as Wolves have conceded an eye-watering 40 goals in 16 games so far this term – by far the most of any Premier League club. That is the key reason why Wolves find themselves in serious danger of relegation.

Danso, meanwhile, is highly rated in France and is a key player for Lens. He was a key part of their 2022/23 season, in which they missed out on lifting the Ligue 1 title by just one point.

Injuries have limited Danso’s playing time this term but he’s still made 10 league appearances for Lens, helping them to keep five clean sheets in the process.

Standing at 6ft2, Danso is physically strong – something Wolves lack at the moment – makes an average of 1.6 tackles and 1.8 interception per game. He also wins 3.3 aerial duels per match.

The report doesn’t reveal how much Lens will demand for Danso, although other outlets suggest a fee in the region of £20million may be required for a January transfer.

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