'That's a problem': Star's £11m Wolves move leaves former team-mates shocked
Today at 12:15 PM
Wolves, thanks to an enormous stroke of bad luck, suddenly find themselves worryingly short in one key position.
And, ironically enough, Yerson Mosquera was the man Gary O’Neil tipped to help replace Max Kilman this season once the former captain had secured his £40 million move to West Ham United.
While Wolverhampton Wanderers have started the season slowly – albeit not helped by a tough fixture list – Mosquera had been one of the stand-out performers, ensuring that Kilman had not been missed quite as much as he might have been.
So the news that Mosquera could miss the rest of 2024/25 after tearing his ACL against Aston Villa is a blow O’Neil could have done without.
HITC reports that the men from Molineux, after Mosquera’s injury, could now look to bring in free-agents James Tomkins or Paul Dummett.
But Wolves are not the only club being kept up at night by a shortage in one hugely-important area of the pitch.
Dutch giants Ajax sold Carlos Forbs to Wolves outfit back in August. And, having let former Tottenham Hotspur wideman Steven Bergwijn jet out to Saudi Arabia during the very same window, concerns are growing about Ajax’s lack of depth in the wide positions.
Particularly after Ajax failed to get a deal done for Southampton’s Kamaldeen Sulemana.
Ajax stars surprised by Carlos Forbs’ £11m Wolves move
“[Forbs and Bergwijn] were two good friends of mine,” Mika Godts told reporters after scoring twice in Ajax’s 4-0 hammering of Besiktas in the Europa League on Thursday night. “So I would have preferred to have them here.”
The good news for Godts, at least, is that the sales of Forbs and Bergwijn have opened up a window of opportunity for himself.
The teenager has become a regular in Francesco Farioli’s starting XI due, in part, to the deal that took Forbs to Wolverhampton on a loan-to-buy deal worth around £11 million.
“Of course, it does mean that I played more,” Godts adds. “I think it was clear that I was the only one in that position with the first team, so I try to fill that as best I can.
“[Against Besiktas] it went really well.”
Gary O’Neil gives former Man City starlet Forbs time to settle
There is, of course, suddenly a lot of pressure on the shoulders of 19-year-old Godts.
In contrast, the Wolves newbie – Forbs was close to joining West Ham in 2023 – can afford to take his time as the former Manchester City reserve looks to settle back into life in English football.
The Portugal Under 21 international has played only four minutes of Premier League football so far, with Matheus Cunha, Hwang Hee Chan, Rodrigo Gomes and Jean-Ricner Bellegarde all providing competition in the wide positions.
Ajax’s veteran goalkeeper Remko Pasveer, meanwhile, wonders if his employers will rue their decision to let two wingers go without succeeding on landing a replacement.
“That is surprising,” says the 40-year-old shot-stopper. “Steven Bergwijn and Carlos Forbs are both leaving just before the deadline and no winger is being brought back. We would have liked [to see a replacement brought in].”
“That is, of course, a problem. Also for the coaches. We played in a certain style of play during the entire pre-season. That is now being changed a bit. Especially if we get injuries or suspensions, then you have to puzzle more or have a plan B in terms of playing style.”
O’Neil, meanwhile, could hand Forbs a second Wolves appearance during Saturday’s hosting of Arne Slot’s fearsome Liverpool side.
