Wolverhampton Wanderers are looking to strengthen their squad ahead of their upcoming Championship campaign, and Hadjuk Split star Niko Sigur has now emerged as a target.
Sigur represents Canada at international level, and his performances for his country have earned praise from manager Jesse Marsch, who said: “I thought he played his first match in midfield for the Canadian national team [vs. El Salvador], and he was almost flawless in his performance.
“For a young player, he’s incredibly intelligent and savvy, and he has a really good combination of combativeness with footballing intelligence. It’s something you can use at any position on the pitch. I really like him — I obviously like him when he plays right back — but I think his true best position is midfield, and I think he showed that last game.”
The Canadian has since gone on to make three appearances for Canada at the World Cup, and was given the nod in the starting XI for his side’s 3-0 round of 16 exit against Morocco.
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Football FanCast’s Verdict |
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Credibility |
Wolves are known to be in the market for a new midfielder this summer, given the uncertainty surrounding Joao Gomes’ future. The Brazilian has attracted interest from the likes of Leeds United, Atletico Madrid and Napoli over the past few months. |
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Finances |
Having been relegated from the Premier League, there are likely to be more financial constraints at Molineux this summer. Fortunately, Sigur is valued at around just £2.5m. |
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Insight |
As pointed out by Marsch, the Hadjuk Split star is versatile, having regularly featured as both a right-back and defensive midfielder for the Croatian side. Last season, an average of 2.8 tackles per 90 in the league was the highest in the Hadjuk Split squad. |
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Impact |
Wolves may feel more comfortable sanctioning Gomes’ departure if they are able to bring in another solid defensive midfielder. Fellow defensive midfielder Andre has also attracted interest though, so multiple new additions may be required. |
Sky Sports share update on Wolves’ interest in Nikor Sigur
According to a report from Sky Sports, Wolves are now showing interest in signing Sigur, off the back of his impressive performance for Canada against Morocco in the last 16 of the World Cup.
With the 22-year-old expected to be sold for around £2.5m, a deal shouldn’t break the bank for the Old Gold, who will have parachute payments following relegation from the Premier League.
How Nikor Sigur compares to Joao Gomes
Gomes averaged 3.4 tackles per 90 in the Premier League last season, which is more than the 2.8 per 90 averaged by the Hadjuk Split in the Croatian top tier.
However, the Canada international also excels when it comes to winning back possession, averaging 1.3 interceptions per 90, compared to 1.1 from the Wolves star.
Sigur also proved himself on the biggest stage against Morocco, with Marsch being left very impressed by his performance, saying: “I thought (Sigur) was outstanding, outstanding, maybe out best player on the day.
“The ground he covered, the solutions he had on the ball, the amount of ball winnings he had in the midfield, his ease at seeing plays and making plays, his ground he covered, duels he won, I thought he was outstanding.”
Considering the Hadjuk Split academy graduate is clearly very strong defensively, he could be the ideal replacement for Gomes.
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