EXCLUSIVE: £15m Wolves star now finally set for Molineux exit this January after frustration over lack of game-time under Gary O’Neil, Club happy to get rid of player after disciplinary issues this season
Long-serving Wolves defender Jonny Castro Otto could be on his way out of Molineux this month. The main focus for Gary O’Neil in the transfer market is signing a striker capable of scoring goals.
Indeed, Wolves are said to be eyeing up moves for the likes of Getafe striker Borja Mayoral and PSG’s Hugo Etikike to bolster a forward line that is light on the ground.
Hwang Hee-Chan, who is currently on Asia Cup duty with South Korea, has plundered 11 goals this term while Matheus Cunha is on six for the season.
Their need for a striker is even greater after seeing Sasa Kalajdzic and Fabio Silva depart on loan to Eintracht Frankfurt and Rangers respectively, but the outgoings don’t just stop there.
One of the last players of the Nuno Espirito Santo era, Jonny Casto Otto, looks set to leave Molineux in this window with interest from one Spanish side.
According to Tenías Que Haber Tirado, a podcast covering Celta Vigo, the Spanish side want to bring Jonny back to his homeland.
The 29-year-old initially arrived at Wolves on loan from Atletico Madrid in 2018 but made a move permanent for £15m in January 2019.
After five-and-a-half years at the club, he could be heading back to his homeland. It is claimed that the Spanish side have met with Jonny’s representatives over a potential move, although no offer has been put on the table yet.
Since arriving at Molineux, the wing-back has appeared on 134 occasions but has only featured once in the Premier League this term while making the headlines for all the wrong reasons in December.
Jonny was involved in a training ground spat with forward Tawanda Chirewa and attacked him during a training session at Compton Park.
He was then claimed to have spat at a member of the coaching staff that tried to pull him away from the clash and then went onto damage items in the players’ room.
Although O’Neil said he could still have a future at the club, it is best for both parties if the Spaniard is moved on.
The end is near for Jonny
Jonny has only appeared for four minutes in the top flight for Wolves and that was in the dying embers of their 2-1 victory over Manchester City in September.
The only other times he’s featured have been against lower-league opposition in the Carabao Cup, playing ninety minutes in a 5-0 thrashing of Blackpool and the 3-2 defeat to Ipswich Town.
With Rayan Ait-Nouri the first-choice in his favoured left wing-back role, Jonny hasn’t had a look in under O’Neil, or in the past season having failed to make the matchday squad in Wolves’ last 10 top-flight matches in 2022/23.
It has been reported that the Old Gold could sign a full-back if the Spaniard departs, but they shouldn’t wait to sign someone. They should instead let him depart this month and save £35k-a-week in wages.
