This £25 million “monster” would be Wolves’ ideal Craig Dawson successor.
Wolverhampton Wanderers, who are now seven points above the relegation zone, have endured a challenging but by no means terrible season. But the main problem for Gary O’Neil’s team has been their inconsistent play.
Wolves’ squad is plenty of talent, but if the Midlands team wants to be in the running for one of the seven Premier League European slots again, they may need to make some immediate improvements at certain positions.
According to reports, O’Neil is looking to add some defensive players to strengthen his backfield in preparation for what should be a challenging second half of the season.
Wolves transfer news – Victor Nelsson
Victor Nelsson, a centre back for Galatasaray, is reportedly a target for Wolves to join in January, according to Turkish publication Aksam. As the winter window opens in a few weeks, the player is reportedly “very disturbed” with his current circumstances with the Super Lig champions and is seeking for a way out.
The Danish centre back’s contract with Galatasaray expires in 2026, but Aksam has also disclosed that O’Neil’s team is considering a loan with a buyout option, even if the Turkish powerhouses are unwilling to let the 23-year-old go for a low price.
This season, Nelsson has made eighteen appearances for Galatasaray, four of which have come in the UEFA Champions League as the squad appeared ready to advance to the next round.
But according to Transfermarkt, the defender has only played 1,123 minutes and has only started seven of the 18 games in the Champions League group stage and the Super Lig.
Stats of Victor Nelsson this year
Nelsson moved to Copenhagen in 2019 after graduating from Nordsjaelland’s prestigious Danish academy. He played only as a center-back for the Danish team, and during one of his performances at the Parken Stadium, football scout Jacek Kulig called him a “monster” based on his 87 appearances in all competitions.
A £25 million release clause was added to his contract when he signed with Galatasaray in 2021, as the club confirmed. Premier League teams, including Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur, have expressed interest in signing the defender; Wolves is the most recent team to put their name in the hat.
This season, veteran Craig Dawson has been partnered with Toti and captain Max Kilman in a back three formation, as per head coach O’Neil’s preference. Given that Toti and Kilman are 24 and 26, respectively, Nelsson may end up taking Dawson’s position going forward. Dawson is 33.
The veteran has had a decent season at Molineux but has struggled in recent weeks, particularly on Saturday in a 2-1 defeat away to Arsenal.
| Craig Dawson vs Arsenal | |
|---|---|
| Minutes | 90 |
| Touches | 70 |
| Errors Leading To Shots | 1 |
| Dribbled Past | 1 |
| Ground Duels Success Rate | 33% |
| Aerial Duels Success Rate | 67% |
| Possession Lost | 6 |
| Fouls | 1 |
| Tackles | 1 |
The first goal of the game for Arsenal was partially Dawson’s fault as Bukayo Saka scored past Jose Sa after Dawson’s attempted challenge went awry.
Furthermore, Nelsson could be an excellent replacement for the Europa Conference League winner and has been outperforming Dawson in a number of key defensive metrics this season.
| Per 90 Metrics | Victor Nelsson | Craig Dawson |
|---|---|---|
| Passing Accuracy % | 87 | 86.8 |
| Progressive Passes | 7.27 | 2.42 |
| Passes To Final 1/3 | 3.64 | 2.42 |
| Tackles | 2.73 | 1.56 |
| Tackles Won | 0.53 | 0.94 |
| Interceptions | 1.2 | 0.55 |
| Clearances | 5.45 | 4.53 |
| Aerial Duels Won | 3.64 | 2.42 |
| Aerial Duels Won % | 80 | 75.6 |
Although Nelsson is still a superior tackler than Dawson, the Dane is now surpassing the veteran center-half for Wolves in every other aspect, especially when it comes to the ball, which will become increasingly crucial for O’Neil as he attempts to gradually change Wolves’ style to be more expansive.
Nelsson might be a great addition to the team if they sign him in January because of this.
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