Wolves identify Jose Sa as Rui Patricio replacement

Wolves are already making plans to replace Rui Patricio if the veteran goalkeeper joins Roma this summer, with Olympiacos stopper Jose Sa identified as a potential successor.

Patricio, who joined Wolves in a deal eventually settled for £16m in 2018 following promotion to the Premier League, is being targeted by fellow countryman and new Roma boss Jose Mourinho.

90min revealed in April that Wolves could start selling off a handful of their biggest names and top earners this summer as a result of Chinese owners Fosun restructuring their level of involvement and commitment at Molineux.

In that respect, super agent Jorge Mendes, the man responsible for assembling much of the current squad, has already been instructed to find buyers for a list of players that also includes Ruben Neves.

Roma have emerged as a suitor for Patricio and Sky Sport Italia reports that the Serie A club are hoping to secure a deal worth up to €8m (£6.9m) plus add-ons. Mourinho is said to view Patricio as the ‘ideal’ signing because of his vast experience.

It is said that Wolves are asking for €12m (£10.3m) to part with 33-year-old Patricio, but they appear to at least be preparing themselves for him leaving as Sa is named as a target to replace him.

Sa is another Portuguese goalkeeper who has established himself as number one at Olympiacos since moving to Greece in 2018. He can be considered a late bloomer as prior to that transfer at the age of 25 he had only briefly been a number one at first-team level.

Sa started his senior career as a back-up at Madeiran club Maritimo, before being poached by Porto and spending time as an understudy to Iker Casillas. He was given a run of games midway through the 2017/18 season but soon lost his place and moved to Greece to start afresh.

Like many existing Wolves players, the 28-year-old is represented by Mendes’ Gestifute agency.

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