LIAM BERRY TAKES A LOOK AT NEW SIGNING SAŠA KALAJDŽIĆ
Reports suggest that Wolves have agreed a deal with Stuttgart for striker Sasa Kalajdzic, for a fee reported to be £18million plus £7million in add-ons.
The 25-year-old Austrian is set to sign a deal which will expire in June 2027 with an option of a further year in Wolves’ favour.
Let’s take a look into what type of a player Kalajdzic is and how he will benefit the Wolves squad.
The Stats
Kalajdzic arrives off the back of a season where he was troubled with injuries, playing only 15 games, but still producing six goals and two assists.
The striker was out with a shoulder problem for half of the campaign, also suffering minor injuries throughout the rest of the season.
Overall however, his Stuttgart record reads very well. From a total of 60 appearances, he accumulated 24 goals and 12 assists, so he is no stranger to being involved on the scoresheet.
He also plays for his national team Austria, making his debut in October 2020 and since winning 15 caps whilst scoring four goals. Again, a decent record.
Depending on whether his transfer goes through, Kalajdzic will be the tallest outfield player in the Premier League, standing at 6 ft 7 in. Wolves could use this height to their advantage, as they have very good crossers of the ball, with Pedro Neto in the top 10 in the league so far this season in that respect.
With all this in mind, Kalajdzic could be seen as a great coup for Wolves, and fits the profile of the player Bruno Lage has admitted he needs to shake up his front-line.
Competition for Raul
Since Raul Jimenez’s arrival from Benfica, he has always been comfortably the first choice striker, without ever facing up to a great deal of competition despite the club’s attempts at doing so.
Players like Patrick Cutrone, Leanardo Campana and Fabio Silva have been brought in to compete with Jimenez, all of which fit the bill of young, unestablished but promising talents.
The signing of Kalajdzic, who is a proven goalscorer in a top league, is a huge step forward for Wolves. With him and Jimenez they can both be pushing for the number nine spot, bringing the best out of both players.
With Jimenez’s solid start to the season, it will be up to Kalajdzic to prove to Lage why he should be starting ahead of the Mexican and solidify a place in the first 11. That will help strengthen the squad, and the pair’s different qualities also offer the Head Coach different options depending on style of play and the opposition.
Kalajdzic’s arrival will perhaps draw comparisons with similar lofty strikers of previous days. Wolves fans will be hoping he is definitely more Peter Crouch than Stefan Maierhofer!
ARTICLE BY LIAM BERRY
I am a life long Wolves fan that is passionate for the club. I am a sixth form student who loves writing about things I love!