One of the surprise packages of the Premier League so far this season has been Wolves. Gary O’Neil’s side were tipped to get relegated at the start of the season by many, but have proved doubters wrong and now find themselves in 11th on 46 points, just three points behind eighth-place West Ham.
This impressive season came after losing two of their best players in the summer window last season. Ruben Neves left Molineux to join Saudi side Al-Hilal for £47m, before Manchester City bought Portugal international midfielder Matheus Nunes for £53m at the end of the window. That deal was a record sale for Wolves, which broke that of the Neves deal.
O’Neil’s side have also struggled with injuries at times this season, to two key players in particular. Pedro Neto is currently on the sidelines for the second time this season and has missed 20 games up to now. Matheus Cunha pulled his hamstring in February and missed several months of the season.
With those sales and injuries being a potential stumbling block for Wolves, it is fair to say they have handled it very well, and to be 11th in the table is impressive.
They have also had a couple of standout stars, including Rayan Ait-Nouri, who has become integral to the side, and another defender, whose emergence has seen him make his international debut this season.
Toti Gomes’ season in numbers
The man in question here is Portuguese defender Toti Gomes. The 25-year-old defender joined Wolves from Estoril Praia in Portugal in 2020, before going out on loan to Swiss side Grasshoppers. It was a deal worth a measly total of £900k, according to journalist Nathan Judah.
This season, Toti has been immense for Wolves and has become a key player under O’Neil. The Portugal international has played 39 times in all competitions, with 32 of those appearances coming in the Premier League. Captain Max Kilman is the only Wolves player with more games under his belt this season.
According to Sofascore, Toti has been a part of four clean sheets for Wolves in the Premier League this season. The left-footer, who has also played left-back, is a wonderful defender, and he averages four ball recoveries per 90 minutes and wins a total of 3.9 duels per game.
His superb performances this season led the 25-year-old to be rewarded with his international debut for Portugal. He made his first appearance for the national team on the 16th of November 2023, against Liechtenstein, with his second cap coming on the 21st of March 2024, against Sweden.
Toti’s transfer value in 2024
The aforementioned £900k that Wolves initially spent on Toti has certainly proven to be a good investment so far, and not only because he has become a key player for O’Neil’s side this term.
Toti has seen his value soar in recent months, and, according to CIES Football Observatory, he is now worth £34m, a staggering increase of 3,677%. Indeed, there is only one player at Molineux currently more valuable than the 25-year-old, £42.7m Cunha, and two players of equal value to Toti, in Ait-Nouri and Joao Gomes.
The Wolves manager certainly believes that the Portugal international’s value is justified, explaining in January that he believes his performances in the Premier League have been “incredible”, given the “money the club spent on him”. This is reflected in his decision to play Toti in the majority of his side’s games throughout 2023/24.
Wolves fans do not need to worry about Toti leaving the club any time soon, given the 6 foot 2 defender has just signed a new five-year deal to stay at Molineux until the end of the 2029 season. With no rumoured release clause, the 25-year-old does not seem likely to leave Wolves anytime soon.
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