A dream for Ait-Nouri: Wolves holding talks to sign £23k-p/w "colossus"

The race is on for Wolverhampton Wanderers to avoid relegation. The Premier League season is now over halfway complete, and the Old Gold are still languishing in the drop zone, despite new manager Vitor Pereira picking up some crucial points.

With just 16 points to their name, Wolves are slightly in danger of being cut adrift. They sit one point behind Leicester City, who are in 17th place, and level on points with Ipswich Town below them. Everton, in 16th in the table, have 23 points and seem in a comfortable position.

There is no doubt that the Old Gold have an uphill battle to stay in the top flight, but some transfers would certainly go a long way to helping their fight for survival. They have recently been linked with one defender.

Wolves target new defender

The player in question here is Austria and RC Lens centre-back Kevin Danso. The 26-year-old has impressed during his time with the French outfit, and could now depart the club before the end of the January transfer window.

According to a report from The Telegraph, Wolves are believed to be the main side leading the race to sign Danso. It is believed that he has been a transfer target for the club ‘for more than 12 months’, and they could finally get their man.

They have already placed a bid, worth £16m, and are thought to be confident that a deal will be completed in the coming days. That said, the Express and Star revealed that the offer has been rejected, while a second offer of around £18.5m has also reportedly been rebuffed.

That report suggested that Wolves remain in talks with Lens over the deal regardless, and are likely to return with an improved bid. He would be their second signing at centre-back this month, with the first being Emmanuel Agbadou from Reims, who cost £16m.

Why Danso would be a good signing

Danso has been a key player for Lens across all competitions so far in the 2024/25 campaign. He has played 14 times, including 12 appearances in Ligue 1, playing 90 minutes in each of the games he has featured in.

The Austria international has already had a taste of Premier League football, after his loan spell with relegation-bound Southampton back in the 2019/20 season. He played just ten games for the club, including 45 minutes in the 9-0 thumping by Leicester City.

However, being involved in a game like that does not sum up Danso as a player. He is actually a “colossal” defender, as Tottenham Hotspur winger Timo Werner once described him, back when the pair played against each other in the Bundesliga.

In fact, Danso’s impressive defensive ability is showcased in his stats on FBref. The Austrian is fantastic in the air, winning 3.42 aerial duels on average this term, which ranks him in the top 5% of defenders in Ligue 1. He also averages 1.67 interceptions each game, placing him in the 84th percentile.

Should the Old Gold sign Danso, who earns £23k-per-week, as per Caplogy, he could be a perfect foil for left wing-back Rayan Ait-Nouri. The Algerian seems set to stay at Molineux this season despite links away, with Manchester United showing interest in the Algerian defender.

The 23-year-old has been crucial for Wolves this season and has three goals and five assists in 22 games in the top flight. That includes two assists in a 2-2 draw away from home against Tottenham.

Even though he is right-footed, the Austrian could still line up on the left side of Wolves’ back three, which might free up the Wolves number three even more.

With Danso’s impressive defensive awareness and speed, which can reach as high as 33.3km/h, it means he can cover the spaces Ait-Norui might vacate if he is essentially playing as a winger, perhaps meaning Wolves can create more goalscoring opportunities.

While more than £18.5m will seemingly be required, this seems like a brilliant deal for Wolves. Not only would they be bringing in a high-quality defender, but he is someone who could also get the best out of Ait-Nouri, one of the most dangerous players at the club.

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