Wolves Opinion: Why Nuno should keep hold of Ruben Vinagre at any cost?
According to a report from Portuguese news outlet O Jogo, Wolves starlet Ruben Vinagre has attracted interest from Liverpool and Barcelona.
The left-back, 20, arrived at the Molineux last summer after impressing on a loan deal from AS Monaco in the Championship. Since his permanent move to Wolves, the youngster has been brilliant and has made 16 appearances across all competitions this season.
Ruben Vinagre played a big role in eliminating Manchester United out of the FA Cup in the quarter-finals last month. However, Wolves were knocked out of the competition by Watford, who came back from two goals down to win 3-2 in the semi-finals at the Wembley Stadium.
Despite his lack of game time, the 20-year-old’s potential is very much visible. Barcelona and Liverpool are rumoured to be keen on his signature in the summer but Nuno Espirito Santo should do everything possible to keep hold of one of his rising stars.
Wolves have done incredibly well in the Premier League since achieving promotion last summer and its credit must go to Nuno Espirito Santo. Nuno has built an exciting Wolves side, a brilliant counter-attacking team that has given a tough time to every single ‘Big Six’ side.
The players Nuno signed in the summer have all performed well, barring Adama Traore. Raul Jimenez has been a standout performer for the Wolves, with the Mexican scoring 12 goals and assisting seven times. Joao Moutinho, Jonny Otto, Rui Patricio and Leander Dendoncker have all played their part this season, while Vinagre—despite limited opportunities—has managed to make an impact.
If Nuno is building a team for the future, keeping hold of a player like Vinagre is a must. He is just 20 but his positional awareness, game-reading skills and maturity certainly belie his age. Whenever he has been given an opportunity, the teenager has seized it with both the hands, most notably against Manchester United in the FA Cup where Vinagre gave Ashley Young all kinds of problems.
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Blessed with great pace, energy and passing skills, the Portuguese has shown flashes of his potential but is yet to embark on an extended run in the side. He was signed for just £2million last summer and to land a player of his talent for such a small fee in this age and market is an outstanding piece of business.
Verdict
Vinagre attracting interest from the likes of Barcelona and Liverpool doesn’t come as a surprise. But Nuno should not sanction the 20-year-old’s sale whatsoever; instead, he should give the Portuguese wing-back an extended run in the Wolves starting XI next season.
