Wolverhampton Wanderers are on the verge of signing Girona defender, Ladislav Krejci in a club record fee above €30m a little over 12 months after his arrival in Catalonia.
Softfootball understands that Wolves have been forced to replace three of their key players from last season, so it’s no surprise that they’ve been active in the market since it opened earlier in the summer.
Rayan Ait-Nouri, Matheus Cunha, and Nelson Semedo, who were all regular starters under Pereira have left the club, meaning they needed to act fast to bring in replacements before the transfer window closes.
Krejci arrived with plenty of promise last summer, as Girona went into the Champions League for the first time, following 24 goals and eights assists from defence for Sparta Prague, who he was captain of at the time. Wolves have clearly seen plenty to like in his first season in La Liga.
Wolves have been rejected by many of their transfer targets this summer including Barcelona left-back Gerard Martin, Sevilla right-back Juanlu Sanchez and Nantes attacking midfielder Matthis Abline, but Krejci is not expected to be the next.
Now, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano via his X account, Wolves are set to complete the signing of Ladislav Krejci from Girona this week in a deal worth over €30 million. A verbal agreement has been reached between all parties, with the formal steps expected to follow shortly.
His post reads:
“Ladislav Krejci, expected to become new Wolves player from Girona this week for fee over €30m.
Verbal agreement in place between all parties and formal steps to follow soon.”
If Wolves do get a deal over the line for the Czech international, it would be their most expensive addition of the summer transfer window. The big-money move would show a real statement of intent after already spending significantly over the last few weeks.
Krejci’s versatility could make him a useful option for Pereira. Although predominantly a physical, towering centre-back, Krejci can also play in midfield as a number six, and has even played further forward during his career.
The imminent transfer of Ladislav Krejci to Wolves represents a remarkably beneficial, if somewhat odd, piece of business for Girona. The English club are set to pay over and above his release clause, and double his market value.
While his performances at Montilivi were solid, his stats last season hardly placed him among La Liga’s elite centre-backs.
In a related post, Softfootball reported earlier that Napoli signed Miguel Gutierrez from Girona this summer despite interest from other big European clubs. Widely regarded as one of the best full-backs in La Liga, the Spaniard was instrumental in the Catalan side’s impressive third-place finish in the 2023/24 campaign before his move to the Serie A champions.
