Wolves Opinion: Nuno Santo should try and beat off competition for Andreas Samaris
According to reports from Birmingham Live, Wolves and West Ham are interested in signing Greek international midfielder Andreas Samaris from Benfica in the summer, with the 29-year-old’s contract set to expire at the end of the current season.
The same report claims that Newcastle United also have a long-standing interest in out-of-contract Benfica man, while Ukrainian giants Dynamo Kyiv are also keen to secure his services on a free transfer.
Samaris has made a total of 17 appearances for Benfica in the Primeira Liga this term, contributing with 2 goals and 2 assists, while also playing a part in the club’s Europa League campaign.
A youth product of Greek club Panachaiki, Samaris rose to prominence with his boyhood club and featured for Panionios before making a move to giants Olympiacos in 2012.
After winning the Greek Super League with Olympiacos in 2014, Samaris was signed by Benfica and he has plied his trade successfully in the Portuguese top-flight ever since, winning three Primeira Liga titles, one Taca de Portugal and two Taca da Liga crowns.
The 35-cap Greek international has accumulated 5 goals and 9 assists from a total of 160 appearances for Benfica in all competitions over the course of five seasons at the club.
To put things into perspective, Andreas Samaris is a hugely experienced central midfielder, who has tonnes of European and international experience under his belt, and given that he would be available for free this summer, the likes of Newcastle, Wolves and West Ham have every reason to look at him as a viable option.
He would be an ideal signing for either of the aforementioned clubs but Wolves would bag a massive coup if they manage to beat off competition from their Premier League rivals for the 29-year-old. Essentially a central midfielder by trade, Samaris has the versatility to switch between holding and box-to-box roles in the middle of the park.
Calm and comfortable in possession, the Greek international is noted for his wonderful range of passing and good distribution skills, which allow him to dictate the tempo of the game and switch the play. In fact, he is more than capable of contributing to the build-up play with intelligent through balls, while also possessing the dribbling skills to create his own space in the midfield.
A good reader of the game in the midfield, Samaris never hesitates to stick his foot out to break up the play with tackles and interceptions.
The 29-year-old has averaged 44.8 passes per game with an accuracy percentage of 86.5, including 4.3 long balls, 0.8 key passes, 2.1 tackles and 1.6 clearances per game in the Primeira Liga this season, figures which speak volumes of his well-rounded attributes as a central midfielder.
Ruben Neves has been a raging success in his first season in the Premier League, while veteran Joao Moutinho has proven himself to be one of the best bargains this season. Nuno Santo has preferred three midfielders over the last couple of months or so, with Belgian international Leander Dendocker playing alongside the likes of Neves and Moutinho.
Dendoncker has impressed on loan and Wolves are expected to make his stay permanent at the end of the season. Romain Saiss, on the other hand, has also filled in admirably at both central midfield and centre-back whenever the manager has called him up to play a part.
Wolves are currently well-stocked in the central midfield department but snapping up an experienced player like Samaris on a free transfer would do them no harm, given that he can prove to be a useful player at depth.
Having effectively secured European football in their first season back in the top flight, the Black Country outfit will be expected to hit greater heights next season and Samaris’ presence could work wonders for them.
Moreover, if they play in Europe next season, they will need a big enough squad of players to facilitate rotation policy in the domestic cup competitions and that is where depth and quality in the ranks can be a make-or-break factor.
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Hence, it should be a no-brainer for Wolves to sign Andreas Samaris in the summer, though they would need to fend off interest from their Premier League rivals if they are really serious about getting him on board.
