Wolves ‘close to agreement’ for £26m striker | OneFootball

Borussia Dortmund Close to Fabio Silva Deal with Wolves

Credit to David Ornstein of The Athletic for first reporting Borussia Dortmund’s progress in negotiations with Wolverhampton Wanderers over Fabio Silva. A move worth around €25 million (£21.6m) looks to be on the table, with final discussions on bonuses and payment structure ongoing.

Silva’s Journey Since Porto Move

Silva joined Wolves from Porto in 2020 for what was then a club-record £35m fee, arriving with huge expectations as a teenager. His Wolves career has been stop-start, characterised by multiple loan spells at Anderlecht, PSV, Rangers and most recently Las Palmas.

Despite flashes of potential, Silva’s last Wolves appearance came in the first half of the 2023-24 season before his loan switch to Rangers. At Las Palmas, he registered 10 goals and three assists, yet could not prevent the side from dropping into Spain’s Segunda Division.

Player Reflections on Pressure at Molineux

Speaking to The Athletic earlier this year, Silva admitted the weight of expectation took its toll. “I felt as though I didn’t have time and space to make mistakes at Wolves,” he said. Reflecting further, he added:“Sometimes people forget the age I am because I started early. I had to improve too quickly at Wolves. People expected one thing and sometimes forgot my age because of the price.”

His words underline the difficulty of breaking through at such a high fee and at such a young age.

Wolves’ Summer Transfer Window

If finalised, Silva’s departure would continue a summer of upheaval for Wolves. Matheus Cunha, Rayan Aït-Nouri, Gonçalo Guedes, Nelson Semedo and Pablo Sarabia have all left the club, while Wolves also rejected a £50m bid from Newcastle for striker Jorgen Strand Larsen, according to The Athletic.

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With so many exits, Wolves face a challenge balancing finances with squad depth. Silva’s sale would reduce losses on his original fee, but the deal highlights how his potential never quite translated at Molineux.

Our View – EPL Index Analysis

From a Wolves fan’s perspective, Fabio Silva’s potential move to Borussia Dortmund feels more like closure than disappointment. Many supporters would argue that the club never quite found the right environment for him to flourish, especially after arriving at 18 for a hefty fee.

Some may shrug at the news, noting Silva’s modest return of five goals and six assists in 75 appearances.

The loans tell the story too — brief purple patches, but little to suggest he could lead the line in the Premier League. While Silva’s technique and link play are appreciated, his physicality and consistency often came under scrutiny in England’s top flight.

From a neutral point of view, Dortmund seems a good destination. They have a track record of developing young attackers, and Silva may finally find the patience he craved. Yet Wolves fans are unlikely to lose much sleep over his exit. Instead, attention turns to how the club reinvests, especially with Jorgen Strand Larsen attracting serious bids.