Portuguese midfielder Matheus Nunes has embarked on an unconventional protest at Wolverhampton Wanderers, pressing the pause button on his training regimen with a singular objective in mind: a switch to the azure-hued domain of Manchester City. 

While City tendered their initial offering at approximately £47 million, Wolves, unbending in their stance, summarily dismissed this inaugural bid, demanding a princely sum exceeding the £60 million mark. Follow your favourite Premier League team with attractive football betting odds from Nextbet.

City’s quest to bolster their midfield fortifications, catalyzed by the unfortunate sidelining of Kevin De Bruyne for an estimated four months due to hamstring surgery, assumed an unexpected trajectory. 

The thwarting of their advances toward Lucas Paquetá unfolded when a shadow of uncertainty loomed, instigated by a Football Association investigation into the Brazilian’s alleged transgressions in the realm of betting earlier this year.

Wolves, resolute in their conviction, remain unwavering in their appraisal of the 25-year-old Portuguese midfield virtuoso, procured for an exorbitant £42 million from Sporting a mere summer ago. 

Nunes, conspicuous by his absence and enshrouded in disciplinary implications, incurred suspension during Wolves’ 1-0 conquest over Everton this past Saturday. Their immediate fixture against Blackpool in the Carabao Cup’s second round beckons.

City, harboring the ambition to expeditiously secure Nunes, have refrained from submitting an official follow-up bid but are resolved to secure the Portuguese dynamo. Wolves, fortuitously, wield a potent hand in this high-stakes tussle, given Nunes remains tethered to contractual obligations that persist until 2027. The club further wields a 12-month lifeline, an option intended for activation should City’s valuation endeavors prove futile.

Despite their aspirations to augment their squad prior to the imminent transfer curtain call on Friday, Wolves find themselves ensnared by the labyrinthine web of financial fair play constraints. 

The specter of Tommy Doyle, City’s youthful midfield craftsman, tantalizingly looms on their radar, given his notable exploits on loan at Sheffield United last season. However, their aspirations to attain Alex Scott were thwarted by an insurmountable £25 million price tag, a transfer that eluded their grasp. 

Julen Lopetegui’s untimely exit, predating the season’s commencement, stemmed from the club’s perceived dearth of financial reinforcement in the transfer market.

Meanwhile, an unrelated narrative unfolds at Craven Cottage, as Fulham prepares to formally welcome the Belgian full-back Timothy Castagne into their ranks, extracted from the clutches of Leicester City. In exchange, Fulham is poised to disburse a sum in the approximate vicinity of £13 million for the 27-year-old Belgian sensation. 

Furthermore, the spectre of exodus casts its ominous shadow upon Leicester, as the dynamic duo of Wilfred Ndidi and Kelechi Iheanacho contemplate their departure from a club that suffered relegation in May, all before the looming transfer deadline crescendos. Get the latest updates from the Premier League only on Nextbet Sports.