O’Neil didn’t give much away when he was quizzed on Wolves’ reported interest in Adams.
Wolverhampton Wanderers boss Gary O’Neil hasn’t ruled out a move for Southampton striker Che Adams after being asked about his side’s links to the player, speaking to Nathan Judah.
These comments came yesterday, following Wolves’ last game of the season.
With the campaign now over and the club set to remain in the Premier League for another season, they can now ramp up their plans ahead of the summer transfer window, which opens next month.
Not only will they be looking at buying players, but they will surely be looking at players they can recruit from the free agent market too, with O’Neil unlikely to have a huge amount to spend this summer.
They have already been linked with some players though, with Chelsea’s Armando Broja thought to be on their radar.
He could cost as much as £35m though – and a cheaper alternative may be required – although a swoop for both him and Adams can’t be ruled out with the Midlands club seemingly desperate to strengthen their forward department.
Adams will be available for free this summer if he doesn’t sign an extension with the Saints, with his deal expiring at the end of June.
Gary O’Neil on Che Adams’ links to Southampton
The 27-year-old could be a bargain addition – and TEAMtalk have reported that Wolves have won the race to secure a deal for the Saints’ man.
This would be a real boost for the Midlands club, considering the Scotland international has attracted plenty of interest in recent times, amid a fairly successful 2023/24 campaign.
Che Adams’ 2023/24 campaign at Southampton
(As of May 20th, 2024) [All competitions]
Appearances
45
Goals
17
Assists
6
When asked about his team’s links to Adams, O’Neil didn’t give too much away, but his reluctance to rule out a move may create further speculation.
He said: “Still under contract at Southampton, they’ve still got a massive game to play.
“We know he’s out of contract and we know he’s a number 9.”
Promotion may not be enough for Southampton to keep Che Adams
On Sunday, the Saints take on Leeds United in the Championship play-off final.
With Adams thriving under Russell Martin during the 2023/24 campaign, staying with the south-coast side wouldn’t be the worst idea.
However, promotion may be required if the Saints are to have any real chance of keeping hold of him.
Even then, that may not be enough.
Being born in Leicester and spending a decent chunk of his career in the Midlands, a move back to the region could be an attractive option.
He may also get a pay rise if he makes the move to Wolves – and with Wanderers managing to stay afloat in the top tier for a number of seasons – they may be in a stronger position than the Saints to survive next season if the latter secures promotion.
The south-coast club sold Romeo Lavia, Tino Livramento, Nathan Tella and James Ward-Prowse last year and Martin may not have a huge budget to play with, even if promotion is achieved, so it would be interesting to see how they would cope.
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