Wolverhampton Wanderers are enjoying their best run of form in a long time under Julen Lopetegui, with a 2-1 win over Southampton last weekend taking them away from a relegation dogfight at the bottom of the table.
This win followed the famous 3-0 victory against Liverpool, and it shows that this Old Gold have what it takes to not only save themselves from the drop but to potentially push for the top half of the Premier League table.
Lopetegui’s January signings have given the club a new lease of life, rejuvenating a squad that was on the slide under Bruno Lage. Craig Dawson has added some solidity in defence, winning three headers per game while Matheus Cunha is offering a different attacking dynamic compared to Diego Costa.
However, it is Joao Gomes who might just be the best of the mid-season arrivals, especially considering his debut performance for the club.
Could Gomes be Lopetegui’s finest January signing?
The Brazilian arrived at Molineux in the dying embers of the January transfer window, signing for £15m from Flamengo as Wolves saw off Lyon to secure a deal for the young midfielder.
It could prove to be a very sensible move by Lopetegui, who is clearly bulking up his midfield options ahead of the summer, with Ruben Neves and Matheus Nunes both being linked with moves away from the club.
With Wolves down to ten men and trailing Southampton 1-0 at the weekend, it looked as though it would be an afternoon to forget. However, just minutes after Gomes was introduced to the game for his Old Gold debut, Jan Bednarek scored an own goal before the 22-year-old entered the record books.
His 87th-minute strike gave Wolves all three points and he became the youngest Brazilian to score on their Premier League debut in the process, rounding off a wonderful cameo.
Lopetegui praised the midfielder after the game, saying that he “will be a good player for sure”, and this will likely give Gomes plenty of confidence. His 20-minute spell off the bench produced two shots, one successful dribble, one tackle and 19 touches, which shows just how much devastation he could cause if unleashed from the start.
He also brings a winner’s mentality to Molineux, having lifted the Copa Libertadores, Brazilian Cup and two Brazilian league titles at Flamengo, with his former club’s official Twitter channel describing him as a “pitbull” upon his departure for England.
If Gomes’ debut performance is an indication of just what he can offer to Wolves, then Lopetegui has certainly secured a bargain, with the 22-year-old looking to kick on and become an integral part of the starting XI from now on.
