Why Wolves signing Luka Jovic would solve goalscoring problems
According to the Athletic (h/t Daily Mail), Wolves have been credited with an interest in out-of-favour Real Madrid striker Luka Jovic ahead of the January transfer window.
As per the report, the Black Country outfit have made enquiries over a potential loan deal for the Serbian international next month. They are expected to face competition, however, with AC Milan also weighing up a swoop for the 23-year-old hitman.
Profile
Jovic started his career with Red Star Belgrade in his homeland before moving to Benfica. He eventually shot to prominence on loan at Eintracht Frankfurt, scoring 36 goals in 75 appearances for the Bundesliga club over two seasons. The Serb’s prolific form earned him a £55million move to Real Madrid in 2019 but he has been unable to settle down at the Bernabeu.
The 23-year-old scored only twice in 27 appearances for the Los Blancos last term and has continued to struggle for regular minutes this season. Jovic has managed only 4 appearances for Madrid in the La Liga so far, failing to score even once.
Putting things into context, Wolves shouldn’t hesitate to take a punt on Luka Jovic during the mid-season trading period. The Serb’s stocks have plummeted significantly due to his underwhelming form at Madrid but he remains a highly-rated striker with plenty of room for development at 23.
Nuno Espirito Santo’s side have struggled to hit top gear in the Premier League this season after impressive back-to-back 7th-place finishes since their return to the top-flight in 2018.
Wolves have managed to accumulate only 21 points from 15 games so far, leaving them 11th in the standings. With just 15 goals scored so far, it’s a no-brainer that they need to freshen up their attacking options next month.
Wolves’ pursuit of a new striker in January has been hastened by the injury to talismanic No.9 Raul Jimenez. The Mexican has been the go-to man for Wolves up top over the past two seasons but he has been sidelined for an indefinite period after fracturing his skull against Arsenal.
With Fabio Silva yet to step up, Wolves shouldn’t hesitate to seek some additional firepower in January. Luka Jovic, to that end, ticks the box. The Serb proved his quality in the Bundesliga and Europa League during a productive stint at Eintracht Frankfurt earlier in his career.
While he has struggled for game time at Madrid, Wolves should be aware that Jovic is a player who oozes quality in front of goal. He needs regular game time to rediscover his mojo and the Midlands outfit could have a prolific goalscorer on their hands if Nuno Santo manages to get him firing once again.
With fixtures set to come thick and fast during the second half of the season, Wolves would surely benefit from having Jovic in their ranks.
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Verdict
Wolves have often lacked that clinical edge in front of goal this season and a potential deal for Luka Jovic would make sense given his previous exploits. They need more goals to climb up the table and potentially challenge for a return to Europe at the end of the season. That Wolves are only looking at a loan deal in January should mitigate the risks of failure.
