---
title: "Wolves: Julen Lopetegui wants Mariano Diaz to be his first signing"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/wolves-mariano-diaz-julen-lopetegui-latest-transfer-news-rumours-updates/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Chloe Chadwick"
section: "Premier League News"
published: "2022-11-03T19:05:07Z"
modified: "2022-11-03T19:05:07Z"
---

# Wolves: Julen Lopetegui wants Mariano Diaz to be his first signing

**[Wolverhampton Wanderers’](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/wolves-news/) potential new manager Julen Lopetegui wants to make Real Madrid striker Mariano Diaz his first signing, according to reports in the last 48 hours.**

### The Lowdown: Lopetegui back in Wolves talks

Fosun have been on the hunt to find Bruno Lage’s successor following his sacking last month, and despite former Sevilla boss Lopetegui initially [turning down](https://www.expressandstar.com/sport/football/wolverhampton-wanderers-fc/2022/10/11/julen-lopetegui-turns-down-wolves-head-coach-job/) the opportunity to work at Molineux, he is now [back in talks](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/wolves-news/wolves-julen-lopetegui-bruno-lage-liam-keen-latest-manager-news-rumours-updates/) over a switch to the [Premier League](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/premier-league-news/).

Indeed, the 56-year-old looks highly likely to be Wolves’ next manager, with Liam Keen [stating](https://twitter.com/liamkeen_star/status/1587541364262281217?s=46&t=2RhYoRB5uOr7KaNv84EcSQ) that talks are “progressing well” and that the club “are hopeful of appointing him before the World Cup break”.

Diaz’s contract at the Bernabeu is set to [expire](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/real-madrid/vertragsende/verein/418) at the end of the season, so the opportunity for a cut-price deal in January, or a free transfer next summer, could well be on the cards for the Old Gold.

### The Latest: Wolves eyeing Diaz

According to Spanish reports on Wednesday (via [Sport Witness](https://sportwitness.co.uk/lopetegui-already-knows-first-signing-ask-wolves-make-currently-cl-club/)), Wolves have already held negotiations with Lopetegui, who has identified Diaz as the ‘first signing’ he would want to secure at Molineux.

It’s claimed that the 56-year-old would ‘ask’ the Old Gold to make an approach for the forward in the winter market, having [previously worked alongside him](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/mariano-diaz/leistungsdatentrainer/spieler/225020/trainer_id/6615) during his time in charge of Real Madrid in [2018](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/julen-lopetegui/profil/trainer/6615).

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### The Verdict: Get it done…

Wolves could hold the advantage in the race for Diaz’s signature given his existing connection with Lopetegui; and having been hailed as a ‘[real goalscorer](https://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/the-real-deal-ligue-1-rising-star-mariano-diaz/1uggtx3ximz6j1a5nsr9n696zr)’ by Lyon’s former assistant boss Gerald Baticle, this appears a no-brainer of a deal for the Old Gold to try and complete.

During his spell with the French giants, the 29-year-old scored 21 goals and provided six assists in just [48](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/mariano-diaz/leistungsdatenverein/spieler/225020) outings, and he can offer a level of [versatility](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/mariano-diaz/leistungsdaten/spieler/225020/plus/0?saison=2021), having also operated as a winger.

\[freshpress-poll id=”414375″\]

Diego Costa [hasn’t had the impact](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/diego-costa/leistungsdaten/spieler/44779) at Molineux that supporters will have hoped for when he signed in September, but Diaz is prolific in the final third and could be the ideal target man for which Wolves have been crying out as the Premier League’s [lowest goalscorers](https://www.skysports.com/premier-league-table).