Wolves defender Fernando Marcal will leave the club at the end of the season, with a move to Brazilian club Botafogo reportedly in place already.

The Lowdown: Marcal not a regular at Wolves

The 33-year-old has been a solid servant for Wanderers, making 30 appearances for the club since joining in 2020.

He has rarely been considered a crucial player at Wolves, though, having started just 15 of his side's 30 Premier League matches this season.

His current deal expires at the end of the current campaign, and his exit from the Black Country appears to be edging closer.

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The Latest: Marcal's exit seems all but certain

According to Globo Esporte [via Sport Witness], it is only a 'matter of time' until Marcal trades Wolves for Botafogo this summer.

The Brazilian club will be able to sign him on a free transfer because of his contract situation at Molineux, in a deal which seems to make sense for all parties.

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The Verdict: Right time to move on

At 33, Marcal's best days as a player are surely behind him, and given his squad role at Wolves, allowing him to leave when his contract is up is a no-brainer.

In Rayan Ait-Nouri, Wanderers have a superb young option in the left wing-back role, as well as the returning Jonny, so Marcal's playing time was likely to become even more limited in the coming years.

He has been hailed as 'really important' by journalist Tim Spiers in the past and has done a good job overall, posting the squad's joint-third best tackling average with 2.3 per game, but this summer seems to be the right time for him to seek a fresh challenge in his homeland.

In other news, Tim Spiers has provided a key Wolves injury update. Read more here.