Wolverhampton Wanderers made a ‘big push’ to sign Sporting Lisbon midfielder Matheus Nunes this summer, according to Daily Express journalist Ryan Taylor.

The Lowdown: Wolves' interest in Nunes

The 23-year-old has been the subject of much transfer speculation over the summer, with the Midlands club joining the likes of Premier League rivals Liverpool and Manchester City in the race to secure his signature.

Former Anfield defender Abel Xavier has stated that it is inevitable that the Portugal international leaves his native country in the near future. As quoted by Desporto Au Minuto, the 49-year-old claimed: “His departure from Sporting is a matter of time.”

The Latest: Taylor’s latest on Nunes

Taylor believes that Wolves have held a serious interest in Nunes and understands that the Old Gold have tried to bring him to the Molineux this summer, but sadly to no avail.

Speaking with GiveMeSport, the reliable journalist claimed: “I think with Nunes, there’s an acceptance he’s probably not going to join. They did actually make a big push for him earlier in the window.

“But Nunes is pretty much happy at Sporting because it’s a World Cup year. A lot of these players that are considering moves, they do have to factor in, that if they’re playing regularly at their current club, do they want to gamble that and potentially risk jeopardizing their place and featuring at the tournament?”

The Verdict: It's a pity

Still just 23 years old, the midfielder has already amassed 99 appearances for the Portuguese giants, with six of those coming in the Champions League last season as his team reached the knockout stages.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola heaped praise on the youngster after his team's clash against Sporting earlier this year, having stated: "Matheus Nunes is one of the best players in the world today.”

That high praise is supported by Nunezs' ranking in the 99th percentile for assists and dribbles completed when compared with positional peers in European competition over the past year (via FBRef), and he would have been an unbelievable coup for Wolves.

However, with the Molineux hierarchy seemingly admitting defeat in this particular pursuit despite their best efforts, Lage and co can only wonder what might have been if they had managed to pull off what would have been a sensational coup.