Wolves should hijack Nuno Espirito Santo’s £8m swoop for the ‘hardest defender’ Lionel Messi has faced

Wolverhampton Wanderers are struggling to secure a replacement for departed captain Nelson Semedo, despite offering him a lucrative contract. Their pursuit of Kyle Walker-Peters failed as he joined West Ham United, preferring a return to London.

Wolves then came close to signing Almeria right-back Marc Pubill, but Atletico Madrid completed a last-minute hijack, signing the 22-year-old to a five-year contract. This setback has forced Wolves to explore other options, potentially within Spain.

The article suggests Wolves should target RCD Mallorca's Pablo Maffeo, a 28-year-old Manchester City academy graduate currently playing in La Liga. Nottingham Forest, managed by former Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo, previously pursued Maffeo but talks broke down over Mallorca's £8 million asking price, as Forest shifted focus to Atletico's Nahuel Molina.

The piece advocates for Wolves to swoop in for Maffeo at the £8m price, highlighting his attributes: pace, energy, dynamism on the right flank, and significant experience (128 appearances for Mallorca since 2021) with 17 goal involvements, showcasing his attacking threat alongside defensive solidity.

Maffeo's defensive prowess is further emphasized by high praise from Lionel Messi, who named him the "hardest defender" he ever faced, specifically recalling Maffeo's performances against him while playing for Girona. Messi stated he found Maffeo extremely difficult to play against due to his physicality and defensive ability.