Wolves agree deal to sell Matheus Nunes to Manchester City

Manchester City have reportedly reached a verbal agreement with Wolves to sign Portuguese midfielder Matheus Nunes in a deal worth around €55 million.

According to The Athletic, Manchester City have finally agreed terms over a transfer for highly-coveted Wolves playmaker Matheus Nunes.

The treble winners were initially turned down with an opening £47 million offer for Nunes last week, but talks continued between the two clubs. And despite Wolves manager Gary O’Neil saying this week that he expected Nunes to remain at Molineux, a verbal agreement in the same ballpark as the original offer is now in place, which is yet to be formally ratified.

Wolves had initially been demanding as much as £60 million, although better payment terms in the initial offer have prompted them to sell for less. It was reported that the Black Country outfit would be open to the idea of taking players as part of the deal.

As such, 21-year-old City academy midfielder Tommy Doyle, who impressed in the Championship last season on loan at Sheffield United, will head to Molineux as a potential replacement for Nunes, and in a separate loan deal, he will have the option to buy permanently for a cut-price fee of £5 million. City will retain a substantial sell-on clause if the move becomes permanent.

Matheus Nunes to Man City, here we go! Verbal agreement reached with Wolves, Matheus already on his way 🔵🇵🇹 #MCFC

🟠 Understand Tommy Doyle will join Wolves on £5m deal plus 50% sell on clause.

Final checks ongoing on payment terms and installments… then it will be signed. pic.twitter.com/IhMBqaL4Ws

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 30, 2023

If the deal is confirmed, both players will be handed permission to undergo a medical ahead of finalising their respective moves.

City have been in the market for midfield reinforcements ever since the news emerged that key playmaker Kevin De Bruyne could miss up to six months with a hamstring injury sustained in the opening-day win at Burnley. After abandoning a long-drawn pursuit of West Ham’s Lucas Paqueta due to alleged breaches of betting regulations, Pep Guardiola’s side turned their attention to Nunes.

The Brazilian-born Portugal international only joined Wolves last summer for a then-club-record transfer fee of €45 million from Sporting CP on a five-year contract. He made 34 appearances last term, scoring one goal and providing one assist.

After the initial interest from City came to light, the 25-year-old subsequently chose not to train with Wolves in a bid to force through a move in the final days of the transfer window, and he seems to have his wish as he’s now set to become City’s fourth summer signing after Mateo Kovacic, Josko Gvardiol, and Jeremy Doku, with personal terms not expected to be a problem.