Wolves' Portuguese Players - Ranked

Wolves have seemingly decided to become the Portuguese national team. Just look at their third kit for this season, they have adopted effectively the same colour scheme as the national side.

It isn't quite that there are resemblances of the Portugal kit, but rather that the only minute difference is the badge, which...well, has to be there.

The sudden sale of Diogo Jota to Liverpool recently saw the number of Portuguese players at Nuno Espirito Santo's disposal decrease, but Wanderers fans had no reason to be fearful because they have only gone and bought themselves yep, another Portuguese player in Nelson Semedo.

As well as bringing in Semedo, Wolves have also done a pretty good job of raiding Porto this summer, signing teenager Fabio Silva and Vitor Ferreira from the Portuguese giants. Quite frankly, at this stage, it comes as quite a shock if Wolves are linked with a player who isn't Portuguese.

Wolves now have as many or more Portuguese players in their first team squad than ten (yes, ten) of the 18 teams currently in Liga NOS. That's quite some achievement.

With the number of Portuguese players at the club continuing to increase seemingly by the second, we rank them based on their ability and impact/potential impact on this Wolves side...

10. Roderick Miranda

Who?!

Well, I'm glad you asked. Miranda made the switch to Molineux back in the summer of 2017, but he was quickly offloaded on loan when the club gained promotion to the Premier League. Not really the best sign, is it?

The 29-year-old spent the 2018/19 season at Olympiacos before then joining Famalicao for the 2019/20 season. While he may now be back with Wolves, it very much appears as though his future lies well away from Molineux.

After all, he last made an appearance for the club back in May 2018.

9. Vitor Ferreira

In all honesty, Vitor Ferreira - or Vitinha - doesn't deserve to be this far down the list - but such is the level of Portuguese talent at Wolves that, well, he just has to be.

The 20-year-old - who recently joined on loan from Porto with the option to buy - has drawn comparisons with fellow countrymen Joao Moutinho as well as Bruno Fernandes due to his vision on the ball. Vitinha enjoys finding pockets of space and spreading the play with excellent cross-field passes - which will suit Wolves' style of play.

Well, this all sounds fantastic, doesn't it?

The signing of Vitinha is a very shrewd one, especially considering the fact they can make the move permanent for just £18m.

However, he takes up this position on this list because regular first team opportunities are going to be hard to come by for him initially, while he will also require time to adjust to the Premier League.

8. Fabio Silva

£35m? For an unproven teenager? Some would call it risky, while others have labelled it somewhat ridiculous.

But what isn't up for debate is Fabio Silva's quality and potential.

There was an obvious need for Nuno to strengthen up front this summer in order to take some of the pressure off Raul Jimenez and Silva could be a very smart long-term addition - even if they did overpay...by a lot.

Tall, powerful and a real eye for goal, Silva can play as a sole striker or alongside another forward as well. But like Vitinha, he will have to be patient and wait for his opportunities.

7. Ruben Vinagre

The curious case of Ruben Vinagre.

The 21-year-old largely played second fiddle to Jonny last season, but it appeared as though he would now be given his chance to shine on a more regular basis due to the injury suffered by the Spaniard.

With Nuno keen to strengthen at the back this summer, the club decided to bring in Marçal from Lyon - the defender's ability to play as part of a back three being a particularly appealing attribute.

Yet, he has ended up occupying the left wing-back slot for the first two Premier League games of the 2019/20 season, with Vinagre on the bench. As a result, talk of a move away for the Portuguese has increased.

6. Pedro Neto

Pedro Neto is quietly becoming a very important squad player at Wolves.

Sure, he may not be scoring week-in, week-out or providing assist after assist at this moment in time, but his energy and direct running makes him a nightmare to defend against.

The 20-year-old has benefited from the departure of Jota this summer and is beginning to show more finesse and composure in front of goal as well.

Neto may not be the 'star' name at the club, but he is continuing to quietly develop into a very promising player.

5. Nelson Semedo

Wolves' signings this summer could turn out to be excellent additions...but this shouldn't take away from the fact that they have paid over the odds for some players...Nelson Semedo being one of them.

The Portugal international completed his move on Wednesday, with the Wanderers paying an initial €30m for his services - although this could rise to as much as €40m.

That's a lot of money.

But putting his price tag to one side, Semedo could actually thrive in Nuno's setup. Often caught out defensively, Semedo will be unleashed as a wing-back, with the license to use his pace to get forward and support the attackers.

Sure, people will allude to the hefty amount Wolves forked out for his services - but in terms of quality and what he could add, Semedo is exactly the type of player Nuno required.

4. Daniel Podence

'He's too small'.

"He won't cut it in the Prem'.

'It'll be too physical for him'.

You get the gist. It's taken Podence some time to settle at Wolves, but he began to show real glimpses of what he can do towards the end of the 2019/20 campaign.

Having been eased into life at the club, Podence has stepped up at the start of the current campaign, registering two assists in two league games. Quick, agile, excellent awareness and a real end product, Podence could be just the man to replace the departed Jota.

Adama Traore and Podence in the same team? Try and stop them if you can.

3. Rui Patricio

An unsung hero in this Wolves team.

Sure, the limelight might not always be on him and he may not dominate the headlines, but he continues to consistently deliver top display after top display. Not only that, Patricio has proven to be a leader both on and off the pitch.

The signing of Patricio for free back in 2018 was a simply outstanding piece of business by the club.

2. Joao Moutinho

How is Joao Moutinho 34 years of age? How?

While he acts as the metronome in the centre of the park, effortlessly keeping his side ticking over with cross-field passes, his work rate often goes largely unnoticed. Constantly pressing and closing down as well as showing his quality on the ball, Moutinho is a manager's dream.

He made 57 appearances last season, with 51 coming from the start. Moutinho's ability to never let his performance levels drop even in the latter stages of the season only further highlights his dedication and application.

Moutinho is criminally under-appreciated.

1. Ruben Neves

Ruben Neves is just phenomenal to watch, isn't he?

And no, it isn't just because of his 30-yard screamers - although those do help.

It is the versatility he has in his game that makes him so special. As well as being more than capable of playing a long ball directly into a teammate's feet, he also has no problem slowing the game down before spotting an eye-of-the-needle pass and playing it without hesitation.

This, mixed with his tenacity and hunger to retrieve the ball when out of possession as well as his eye for goal, makes him the complete central midfielder.

The best part? He's still only 23.

For more from Adam Aladay, follow him on Twitter!