Antwerp's Aurelio Buta pictured in action during a soccer match between Royal Antwerp FC and Sporting Charleroi, Sunday 10 March 2019 in Antwerp, on the 29th day of the 'Jupiler Pro League' Belgian soccer championship season. (Getty Images)
Back in November 2019, the Birmingham Mail had claimed that Wolves were interested in signing Royal Antwerp defender Aurelio Buta, having scouted him for several months. Born in Angola, Aurelio Buta, 23, migrated to Portugal as a kid and started his footballing education at lower division clubs Agueda and Beira-Mar before joining Benfica’s youth system in 2011.
Having caught the eye with his development in the club’s academy, the 23-year-old was promoted to the ‘B’ team, where he made 29 appearances.
Having failed to make the grade at his boyhood club, he initially joined Royal Antwerp on a season-loan loan deal in 2017 before completing a permanent switch in the summer of 2018. Last season, Buta registered six assists in 21 games for Royal Antwerp.
He’s been in good form in Belgium this season with two goals and six assists in 34 games across all competitions. With the right-back impressing in Royal Antwerp colours, Wolves must rekindle their interest in him during the summer transfer window.
Wolves manager Nuno Espirito Santo wanted to sign a right wing-back at the end of last season as an alternative to Matt Doherty. (h/t Birmingham Mail) But the Wanderers signed Daniel Podence, Luke Matheson, Leonardo Campana and Enzo Loiodice to strengthen their squad during the January transfer window.
Luke Matheson was loaned straight back to Rochdale in January in a bid to not hinder his development. Matheson has impressed with Rochdale this term, registering a goal and two assists in 20 League One appearances.
However, he is just 17-years-old and cannot be relied upon to compete with Matt Doherty for a spot in Nuno’s starting XI. Matt Doherty has been a consistent performer in the Premier League since Wolves got promoted in 2018. But he initially struggled with injury problems at the start of this campaign, which forced Nuno to use Adama Traore as a right wing-back.
While Traore didn’t disappoint, the Spaniard is at his lethal best down the right flank, as evident from his displays over the last two campaigns. To put things straight, Wolves need a moderately experienced player to cover and compete with Doherty next term. And Aurelio Buta would be a smart fit at Molineux.
Buta has represented Portugal 57 times Portugal from U-16 to U-20 level. He is a full-back who can play on either side of the defence, with the versatility to play as a wing-back and also as an out-and-out winger further up the pitch.
The former Portugal Under-20 international has excelled with Royal Antwerp and has shown this year that he’s too good for Jupiler Pro League. Buta has featured regularly in the Jupiler Pro League for the last two seasons and has developed himself into a fine full-back.
At the Molineux, Buta would add some much-needed freshness to Nuno’s squad. He would be a good option to cover and compete with Doherty for the right wing-back spot next term. The Angolan-born star is just 23 and under Nuno’s guidance, he can develop into a fine Premier League full-back.
