Wolverhampton Wanderers have turned down a £55 million bid from Newcastle United for striker Jørgen Strand Larsen, as head coach Vítor Pereira insists the club want to keep hold of their star forward. Newcastle, seeking attacking reinforcements amid uncertainty over Alexander Isak’s future, had returned with an improved offer after an initial £50m bid was rejected earlier this week.
Strand Larsen, 25, enjoyed a breakout campaign last season, scoring 14 Premier League goals, and further underlined his value on Tuesday night by coming off the bench to score twice in the final minutes of Wolves’ 3-2 EFL Cup win over West Ham. Wolves are reluctant to sanction a sale so late in the transfer window, not only due to the lack of time to secure a replacement but also because of the Norwegian’s importance to their Premier League survival hopes.
Pereira praised the professionalism of his striker, who only completed a £23m permanent move from Celta Vigo this summer following a successful loan spell. “I know a lot of players in my career in this situation and they have asked me not to play, but he wants to play every time. He wants to help the team. In the last seven or eight months I’ve known him very well, and he will never force [a move],” the Wolves manager said.
The coach admitted, however, that no player is entirely off limits in the transfer market. “Football is football and every player has a price, even Messi or Cristiano,” Pereira noted. “If it’s my decision, of course he stays. He is a very important player.”
Newcastle’s pursuit comes as striker Alexander Isak faces growing speculation over a potential move to Liverpool, with the Sweden international yet to feature this season as tensions with the club persist. With the transfer window closing on Monday, the Magpies face a race against time to strengthen their forward line, while Wolves remain determined to hold on to one of their most prized assets.
