Wolverhampton Wanderers look like they finally have a coach who could embark on a long-term project in the Midlands which may enable them to return to the highs of a top-half Premier League spot.
Gary O’Neil took over from Julen Lopetegui in the summer and following a decent start which has the Old Gold in 12th place in the table, the future does look bright.
With players such as Matheus Cunha, Santiago Bueno and Enso Gonzalez arriving at Molineux this summer, it’s evident that O’Neil is planning for the future and by continuing their solid form, the club can put a turbulent previous 12 months behind them.
The Englishman may need to move on a few players who were signed under previous regimes in order to fund more signings, however, and Nelson Semedo could be one, although his value has dropped considerably since joining.
How much is Nelson Semedo worth?
The right-back was signed for Wolves in 2020 by former coach Nuno Espirito Santo for a staggering sum of £36.8m and having made 124 appearances for Barcelona, it looked as though Semedo would be worth the money.
Despite making over 100 appearances for the Molineux side, he has not lived up to the hype generated upon his arrival.
He was described as a “liability” and “frustrating” by journalist Nathan Judah during the 2022/23 season, while his performances since joining Wolves have seen his value decline rapidly, and it is unlikely to ever reach the value the club paid for him just over three years ago.
According to Football Transfers, Semedo is now worth just €15.9m (£14m) and while this has risen in recent months, due to his age, he certainly won't make the Old Gold a profit should he be sold anytime soon.
Why is Nelson Semedo’s market value so low?
When compared to his positional peers across Europe's top five leagues, Semedo has struggled to impress over the previous 12 months, especially in an attacking sense. According to FBref, the 29-year-old fails to rank in the top 50% for progressive carries (1.63), progressive passes (3.64) and touches in the opposition box (0.85) per 90, indicating poor form when going forward.
He has shown slightly more from a defensive viewpoint, ranking in the top 11% for clearances per 90 (2.98), but even then, he fails to land inside the top 25% for tackles (2.32), interceptions (1.10) and aerials won (0.94) per 90, clearly suggesting that he could be on the decline as a player.
The former Barcelona defender has shown signs of improvement this term, ranking third across the Wolves squad for successful dribbles per game (1.6) while also ranking first for tackles per game (2.9) and second for interceptions per game (1.4) as he finally appears to be demonstrating the form which made him a highly sought defender a few years ago.
This has been too little too late, however, as he has failed to live up to the vast expectations and exaggerated transfer fee and should O’Neil move him on in the near future, he will bring in just a fraction of the £36.8m he was signed for a few years ago.