Wolverhampton Wanderers are finally up and running in the Premier League as their Boxing Day victory over Manchester United moves them out of the relegation zone.
Goals from Matheus Cunha and Hwang Hee-Chan gave Vitor Pereira his second win in as many matches since taking over from Gary O’Neil recently.
With momentum building, the Old Gold will be looking to secure positive results against Tottenham Hotspur and Nottingham Forest, who they face in their next two matches.
If Pereira can avoid defeat against the two clubs, then the Molineux side will head into the January transfer window full of confidence, no doubt about that.
There are still plenty of improvements to be made and Pereira will be keen on bringing a few of his own transfer targets to the Midlands in order to stave away the threat of relegation.
One area that he is already looking at bolstering is his attack, especially as it appears the 56-year-old is lining up a move for a current Bundesliga striker…
Wolves showing interest in German international striker
According to BILD (via Sport Witness), Wolves are looking at Borussia Mönchengladbach’s Tim Kleindienst ahead of the winter transfer window opening next week, having already made an enquiry after asking for information about the striker.
Everton are the other side who are interested in the player, and there could be a shootout between both sides with regard to who makes the first move for the German.
Gladbach managing director Roland Virkus has already claimed that there have been requests for his star player, saying: “Of course there are requests, that’s completely normal if you perform well. But we don’t want to let any of the top players go because something is happening here.”
Might a big enough bid from Wolves convince the Bundesliga side to sell Kleindienst, however? As the Old Gold could do with more firepower up top ahead of the second half of the season.
Why Tim Kleindienst could thrive at Wolves
If it weren’t for the goals of Cunha this season, Wolves would be in serious trouble. Across 18 top-flight games throughout the 2024/25 campaign, the Brazilian has netted ten goals along with grabbing four assists.
Along with his effectiveness in front of goal, Cunha has also created a staggering 11 big chances for his teammates, while averaging 1.9 key passes and succeeding with 2.1 dribbles per game in the league.
Metric
2023/24
2024/25
Goals
12
10
Assists
7
4
Big chances created
7
11
Shots per game
2.3
2.8
Successful dribbles per game
2
2.1
The former Athletico Madrid star has delivered the goods for the Old Gold, demonstrating his all-round ability as he has usually been deployed in an attacking midfield role.
This could see him playing directly behind Kleindienst should the German international centre-forward make the move to the Midlands next month.
Having netted nine goals and grabbed five assists in just 15 Bundesliga games, it is evident that the 29-year-old is in the form of his life for Gladbach.
Last term, he scored 14 times, proving that this season isn’t just a one-off and there is no doubt the experienced “leader” – as hailed by manager Gerardo Seoane – could add something different by leading the Wolves’ attack.
This term, he has formed a devastating duo with Franck Honorat which has been praised by analyst Adam Khan, who said on X:
“Is there a more underrated attacking duo in world football than Tim Kleindienst & Franck Honorat?
“Compliment each other so well, play to each other strengths, & seem to have a telepathic understanding for one another’s position on the pitch!”
Honorat has tended to play out wide, linking up well with his elder teammate and this sort of dynamic duo could repeat itself at Wolves, with Cunha acting like the perfect foil for the four-cap German striker.
In yet more good news for the Molineux faithful, Kleindienst is also extremely similar to a former striker who endeared himself to the supporters during his five seasons at the Old Gold – Raul Jimenez.
Tim Kleindienst could be the next Raul Jimenez
The Mexican forward emerged as something of a cult hero during his time with Wolves, scoring a total of 57 goals in all competitions between 2018 and 2023.
Despite a frantic start, his final few seasons were disrupted by injury problems, and he was subsequently sold to Fulham in the summer of 2023 for a fee of just £5m.
Considering the form he has shown for the Cottagers of late, this has turned into a bargain of epic proportions. Given how much of an impact he had at Wolves, if Pereira signed a player who was similar to Jimenez, then hopefully he could replicate the antics of the Mexican striker.
According to FBref, Jimenez is the third-most comparable player to Kleindienst across Europe’s top five leagues, with the likes of Kai Havertz and Marcus Thuram also similar to the Gladbach sensation.
Indeed, the pair have registered similar statistics in their respective domestic leagues this term with regard to goals and assists (13 vs seven), shots on target per 90 (1.36 vs 1.26), total shots (43 vs 38), shot-creating actions per 90 (three vs 2.02) and touches in the opposition penalty area (79 vs 72).
These statistics indicate that the duo offer the same threat going forward, with both generating plenty of scoring chances for their teams while working their way into the opposition penalty area on a regular basis.
Not just content with offering a threat in the final third, Kleindienst has also shone defensively in the German top flight this term.
When compared to his positional peers in the league, the striker ranks in the top 2% for clearances (1.77), the top 9% for aerial duels won (3.96) and the top 5% for blocks (1.36) per 90 in the Bundesliga.
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It appears as though the player has all the required attributes to shine in the Premier League. An excellent touch in front of goal, the ability to create chances for others while also being able to contribute defensively, Kleindienst sounds like the perfect signing for Pereira to make next month. That’s a certainty.
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