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Wolves may have lost key players such as Rúben Neves and Nathan Collins this summer, but they are primed to re-sign a former fans’ favourite back to Molineux. After a spell in Spain with Atletico Madrid, The Daily Mail reports that Matt Doherty will re-sign for the Premier League side.
Doherty has been a free agent since departing the La Liga side at the end of last season. He penned a short-term contract with the team managed by Diego Simeone in January after Tottenham Hotspur ended his contract in North London, but would only make two appearances for the club.
The Express & Star is stating that the Republic of Ireland international is set to undergo a medical today ahead of returning to Wolverhampton on a three-year contract. Doherty initially joined Wolves in 2010 for fee of £75,000 from League of Ireland team Bohemians. After over 300 appearances, he would then move to Spurs for £15million ten years later.
Wolves boss Julen Lopetegui has been heavily linked with a move away from Molineux since the previous campaign finished, but it would appear he has committed himself to the new season. The addition of Doherty would represent their third significant signing of the summer after Matheus Cunha made his loan spell permanent and Boubacar Traoré switched from French side Metz.
The 31-year-old will provide good competition for places on the right side of the pitch for Wolves, who are also shortened in this area after Adama Traoré exited following the expiration of his contract. Diego Costa, Conor Coady and João Moutinho are other notable departures from Molineux in the off-season, so new faces have been a must for Lopetegui.
Wolves: Where does Doherty fit in?
The right back positioned is filled by former Barcelona man Nélson Semedo at present, whilst Ki-Jana Hoever is back at the club after a productive loan spell in the Championship with Wolves. The addition of Doherty means that playing a wing-back system is a realistic option, after he excelled in this role during his previous spell in the West Midlands.
Doherty won the Club Player of the Year Award in 2015-16, in addition to being part of the Wolves teams that won promotion as champions of League One and The Championship in 2013-14 and 2017-18 respectively. He is more than used to what gets Wolves supporters off the edge of their seat, and the direct nature of his play on the right side makes him an asset.
As a free transfer it is an absolute no-brainer for Wolves to make this move. The fact he can also do a job on the left side of the pitch if required makes his versatility an ever greater asset in what will another energy sapping Premier League campaign.
The Daily Mail also claimed that Wolves are in the market for another defender in the form of Borussia Mönchengladbach central defender Nico Elvedi. The Swiss international would be seen as a replacement for the departed Nathan Collins, who joined Premier League rivals Brentford for a fee of £23million a few weeks ago.
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