After failing to sign a replacement for Max Kilman in the summer transfer window and paying the price ever since, Wolverhampton Wanderers have reportedly made their first move in the race to sign a young central defender.
Wolves transfer news
Whilst they’ve been able to fall back on the excuse of the toughest set of fixtures to open the Premier League campaign, Wolves have more than enough quality to avoid the winless run that they found themselves in after eight games. It’s been the most frustrating start for Gary O’Neil, who has seen his side pushed aside by Brentford and Chelsea but narrowly beaten by Liverpool and Manchester City.
Their defensive struggle is something that those in the Midlands should have seen coming after sanctioning Kilman’s exit to West Ham United and then failing to replace their star centre-back. Left short on options ever since Yerson Mosquera’s long-term injury to compile their misery, Wolves simply must act in 2025 if they are to avoid shock Premier League relegation.
Standing at 6 foot 3, Zeze has enjoyed an excellent start to the Ligue 1 campaign despite his age, keeping three clean sheets in just six starts. Such interest in his signature should come as no surprise, especially given the success that William Saliba has enjoyed since swapping French football for the Premier League.
“Strong” Zeze can replace Kilman
In the long term, signing Zeze to replace Kilman would prove to be excellent business. Zeze is a far younger and cheaper option who may eventually make Wolves even more profit than the £40m fee they received for Kilman in the summer. The Frenchman wouldn’t be coming in to sit on the bench necessarily either, perhaps instead stepping in ahead of the ageing Craig Dawson.
| League stats 24/25 (via FBref) | Nathan Zeze | Max Kilman |
|---|---|---|
| Starts | 6 | 8 |
| Progressive Passes | 19 | 38 |
| Tackles Won | 10 | 5 |
| Ball Recoveries | 23 | 39 |
Although the numbers show that Zeze has improvements to make on the ball, his defensive ability off the ball is there in abundance. Also described as “strong” in the air by analyst Ben Mattinson, the teenager certainly ticks plenty of boxes for Wolves.
By the time 2025 arrives of course, the hope from a Wolves perspective will be that their incredibly slow start has well and truly been forgotten and they’ve pushed back to the level that they showed under O’Neil in the last campaign. Whether that’s when they decide to target Zeze or they wait until the summer remains to be seen, however.
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