MATHEUS NUNES is set to return to Molineux on Saturday for the first time since forcing his way out of Wolves last month.
The midfielder began the season with Gary O’Neil’s side and started their first two matches of the campaign.
When Man City came in for him, however, he instantly had his heart set on moving on.
Wolves forked out £38million to sign Nunes from Sporting Lisbon in the summer of 2022.
On August 24 this year they rejected an opening £47m bid from City, who had just lost Kevin De Bruyne to injury.
According to the Telegraph, Nunes was urged to “stay calm and behave professionally” by Wolves sporting director Matt Hobbs.
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Wolves chiefs are claimed to have told the 25-year-old to be patient, informing him that the deal, while plausible, would have to be done on their terms.
The report adds that Nunes took the news badly, leaving Wolves’ training ground an hour after the meeting with Hobbs – even taking his boots with him.
He then never reported for duty at Wolves again, boycotting training.
A £53million move was finally agreed on August 30 after City had explored a potential swoop for Eberechi Eze, granting Nunes his dream transfer.
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Despite arriving to much fanfare in a record deal, Nunes managed just one goal and one assist in 41 appearances for Wolves.
He has so far played four times for City, laying on an assist against Nottingham Forest.
The former Sporting star had impressed Pep Guardiola enough with his performances in Portugal prior to joining Wolves to prompt a summer swoop.
After a Champions League clash between City and Sporting two seasons ago, Guardiola called Nunes one of the “best players in the world”.
This week he backtracked from those comments, saying: “Maybe I over-exaggerated a little bit. He’s not [one of the best players in the world].
“He is a really good player but sometimes, maybe I said this comment after a 5-0 win, it was actually 5-0? But he’s an exceptional player.”
Meanwhile, former Wolves boss Julen Lopetegui has spoken out on his dramatic Molineux exit on the eve of the season.
The Spaniard told The Athletic: “Something changed.
“And once things changed, more than I could have thought, it was then a case of deciding what to do.”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
