Wolves could be about to reinforce their defensive options with the potential addition of a Brazilian centre-back from Serie A.
Italian outlet Citta Celeste reported that Lazio’s 24-year-old central defender Wallace is being targeted by Wolves with a view to a deal worth €6million (£5.4m) in total and that a breakthrough could be reached in the coming days.
The player’s agent is Jorge Mendes, whose Gestifute agency represents Wolves manager Nuno Espirito Santo, along with players Ruben Neves, Diogo Jota, Rui Patricio, Joao Moutinho and Roderick Miranda.
According to Citta Celeste, the proposed deal would involve Wolves paying €4m (£3.6m) up front and a possible €2m (£1.8m) more in add-ons.
Wallace has struggled for game time at Lazio over the last couple of seasons, making only 16 Serie A appearances last term and 13 in 2017/18.
The player was also linked with a move to Wolves last summer, according to Radiosei, and Danny Owen noted on HITC that he has played in a three-man central defensive system at Lazio similar to the formation favoured by Nuno at Molineux.
One of Wallace’s main attributes is his ability to snuff out opposition attacks, with a match average of 1.9 interceptions in Serie A last season.
That average is higher than Wolves’ current centre-backs Ryan Bennett (1.3) and Conor Coady (0.8), although Willy Boly outdoes Wallace in this regard with 2.4 interceptions per game.
Another strength in the Lazio defender’s locker is his passing ability, with a success rate of 84.7% in 2018/19. That was higher than the figures recorded by Coady (84.3%), Boly (81%) and Bennett (79.6%).
In terms of aerial ability, Wallace won 1.7 aerial duels last season. That was a better average than Coady (0.8) but far lower than the figures posted by Bennett (3.6) and Boly (3.8). While Boly is the tallest of the four at 6 ft 6 (1.95m), Bennett won more aerial duels than Wallace despite being 3cm shorter at 6 ft 3 (1.88m) compared to 6 ft 4 (1.91m).
Wallace may not be the best defender in the air, as his aerial duel statistics indicate, while his WhoScored.com profile cited concentration as a major weakness in his game.
However, his passing and interception figures are those of a player who is comfortable on the ball and able to read the play intelligently.
Nuno told Sky Sports News this week that the need to add to his squad ahead of the season was “obvious“, with Wolves attempting to balance domestic commitments with a Europa League campaign.
For just £5.4m, Wallace would give them an assured addition at centre-back, a position where they are not heavily stocked. This is a deal that Wolves should do everything in their power to pull off.
Wolves fans, would you welcome the potential arrival of Wallace at Molineux? Share your views by commenting below!
