Well done Nuno – Wolves’ £18m record signing would take them to new heights next season

Jonny Otto Castro can take Wolves to greater heights in the future

According to the Daily Mail, Wolverhampton Wanderers have signed Spanish international full-back Jonny Otto Castro on a permanent deal from Atletico Madrid for a joint club-record fee of £18million.

The Spaniard has signed this deal with the club following a successful loan spell for half a season. His future is sorted till the summer of 2023.

A youth product of Celta Vigo, the 24-year-old established himself as a seasoned campaigner for his boyhood club before being signed by Atletico Madrid in the summer of 2018. However, he was loaned out to Wolves immediately without making a single appearance for the Rojiblancos.

Jonny has been one of the regular names on Nuno Espirito Santo’s teamsheet in the Premier League this season, with the Spaniard excelling in a left-wing back role in the manager’s back-three system. The 24-year-old has made a total of 22 appearances for the club, helping his team enjoy a fairytale run on their return to the top-flight following a gap of six years.

While Matt Doherty stealing the limelight on the right-hand side, Jonny has done equally well down the left. He has exhibited tremendous work-rate, running up and down the pitch to contribute equally to both defence and attack.

It was never going to be easy for a full-back who has played his entire career in the La Liga to adjust to the demands of the Premier League all of a sudden. But Jonny has already surpassed all expectations. Operating as a wing-back, the 24-year-old has impressive numbers both in terms of tackles and interceptions, having completed 48 of his attempted 65 tackles so far to go with his 41 interceptions from 20 Premier League outings. (Whocored.com)

The Spaniard’s attacking numbers are also quite incredible. Known for his immaculate short passing and ability to link-up with the wingers down the flanks, Jonny has completed 20 key passes in the Premier League so far, 19 of which have been short key passes. He is also a fairly good crosser of the ball. (Whocored.com)

Wolves currently sit seventh in the table and have been one of the most exciting teams to watch outside the top-six. Nuno has managed to build a really solid unit with all the bases covered. However, he will need to focus on strengthening his squad further to make sure that the club continues to compete at the highest level, not just in this season but in the foreseeable future as well.

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The Old Gold have seen enough of Jonny to convince them that he can be a useful long-term servant to the club. Hence, it is a no-brainer that signing him permanently is definitely a step in the right direction for the development of the club and the stability of the team.