Wolves have suffered a potential blow in their quest to sign Matheus Nunes this summer, with Barcelona now reportedly interested in hijacking the deal.

The Lowdown: Nunes strongly linked with move

Bruno Lage is continuing to work hard on summer signings at Molineux and one player who has been strongly linked with a move in recent days is Nunes.

The 23-year-old has become a key midfield presence for Sporting CP, making 33 Primeira Liga appearances last season, as well as scoring three times in the competition.

But while some reports have suggested Wolves have even prepared a bid for the exact asking price, there may now be a new twist in the saga.

The Latest: Barca could hijack deal

According to Record [via Sport Witness], Barcelona are looking at the Portuguese maestro as a possible replacement for Frenkie de Jong.

It is still stated that Wolves are the 'most likely destination' for Nunes - they are willing to spend €45million (£38.6m) plus €5million (£4.2m) in add-ons for the Sporting man - but a switch to the Nou Camp can't be ruled out as the Catalans have met with Jorge Mendes to discuss a deal.

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The Verdict: Possible big blow

There is certainly reason to be concerned about this update from a Wanderers perspective, given the lure Barca still have as one of the world's greatest football clubs.

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Should they move for Nunes, it is easy to see his head being turned, but it is encouraging to see that Wolves still look to be the firm favourites to snap him up this summer.

The midfielder could be the perfect replacement for Ruben Neves at Molineux, bringing similar level of technical class - he enjoyed an 86.2% pass completion rate in the league last season, compared to the Wolves hero's 84% - and making it a seamless transition in the middle of the park.