Latest news with #JorgeMendes
New York Times
12 hours ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Fer Lopez: Who is he, how does he play and what will he bring to Wolves?
Wolverhampton Wanderers have been here before. A young, Iberian player makes an unexpected move from southern Europe to Molineux with the help of Jorge Mendes, in exchange for a considerable outlay from Wolves. Sometimes it works out fantastically. Sometimes not. Only time will tell which category Fer Lopez falls into, and whether the first new arrival of Wolves' summer is the next Ruben Neves or Diogo Jota, another Goncalo Guedes or Fabio Silva, or somewhere in between. Advertisement The talent of the 21-year-old forward is not in dispute, nor the idea that if Vitor Pereira can unlock it in the Premier League, the initial £19.6million ($26.3m) signing has the potential to be productive for the team and exciting for the fans. 'He is a young man with clear ideas,' says Santi Peon, who follows Celta Vigo for radio station Deportes COPE. 'He is a very good player. He is a shy guy, but a very loved player in the dressing room. 'He is brave. Although he is young, he doesn't refuse contact with more experienced defenders. His best position is behind the striker, so he can play as a winger. He always wants to try to see the opposite goalkeeper.' Lopez's potential is not in doubt. What is a surprise to Celta supporters is the speed with which his form in La Liga has led to a Premier League move. Lopez did not make his debut in Spain's top division until December, catching the eye in a 2-0 victory over Real Mallorca three days after scoring the final two goals in a 7-0 Copa del Rey win over Segunda Division B side Salamanca. Little more than six months later, he is leaving the club he joined when he was 10 to move to a new country, city, club and league. 'Fer's idea was to play next season with Celta,' says Peon. 'Celta is his club, and he wanted to play in the Europa League. 'We knew maybe Fer was one of the players to go out, but not this summer, maybe the next one.' According to reports from AS in Spain, Celta needed to raise considerable funds and Mendes, who is close to both clubs, came up with a solution. Celta agreed to the deal despite criticism from supporters over the sale of an academy graduate who had been seen as heir apparent to Iago Aspas, 37-year-old forward who has spent a decade and a half with the club across two spells. Mendes' influence at Molineux had appeared to be waning in recent years, but seems on the increase again this summer thanks to the presence of one of his clients, Pereira, as head coach and a reorganisation of Wolves' football operations. Advertisement While Wolves supporters will view the arrival of a young Mendes player with a degree of trepidation due to his short top-level resume, the 21-year-old could replicate the success of Jota, who tore up the Championship and Premier League to earn a move to Liverpool, or Neves, who became the club's greatest player since Steve Bull. While any statistics regarding Lopez should be viewed with the caveat about a small sample size — he started just seven league games and featured in 17 in total — his dribbling stats are impressive. Of all players to play 600 or more minutes in La Liga last season, Lopez was 11th for dribbles completed per 90 minutes, close behind some big names. Well before the end of last season, Pereira made clear his desire for ball-carriers in the two positions behind his central striker, and the sale of Matheus Cunha to Manchester United has removed Wolves' best player in one-on-one attacking situations. A look back at clips from La Liga last season suggests Lopez has the potential to fit the bill. He showed his tricks and ball-carrying power in a 1-0 home win against Osasuna in February… … in a 1-1 home draw against Las Palmas in March… … and in a 2-1 home defeat by Rayo Vallecano in May. 'He was brave and not afraid of more experienced players in Primera Division (of La Liga),' says Peon. 'He could be lucky or not, but he was always trying to demonstrate he can play in La Liga.' If Lopez's first-team career is brief, his impact was not unexpected. During more than a decade in Celta's academy, he gained a reputation as a player with flair and strength, which he demonstrated around a month before his senior debut while playing for Celta Fortuna, Celta's reserve team, in a 3-1 defeat by Cultural Leonesa. And his talent and style of play led to comparisons with Aspas, who developed in the Celta academy 20 years earlier and has 190 goals from 434 La Liga appearances for the club. But in an interview in March with AS, Celta coach Claudio Giraldez, who coached Lopez as a youngster before both progressed to the first team, said: 'You have to have the calm and patience to guide each player on their path and not label them, especially when comparing them to someone who is incomparable. Advertisement 'It's not fair to Iago or Fer, although I understand it and we've all done it at some point. 'I see a lot of talent in Fer, but I've also seen very good players who haven't made it into the first team. I was lucky enough to be Iago's contemporary and he had tremendous talent, but there were many other players in that generation. 'We all see Fer has the talent to play in the First Division, and he's proven it, but there are many variables that can affect that prospect.' The task of ensuring Lopez fulfils his potential now falls to Wolves, who have invested heavily in his raw talent in the hope they can turn it into something special.
Daily Mail
12 hours ago
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Emi Martinez remains open to leaving Aston Villa this summer with Man United tipped to swoop for goalkeeper as doubts persist over Andre Onana
Emi Martinez remains open to leaving Aston Villa this summer amid suggestions Manchester United could move for the World Cup winner. The Argentine was emotional at the end of Villa's final home game of last season, against Tottenham on May 16, and while this does not guarantee his departure, it is thought Martinez would consider a new challenge. Mail Sport revealed on May 7 that Martinez had held discussions with the powerful Gestifute agency, run by Jorge Mendes, which raised the possibility of a move to Atletico Madrid this summer. Yet Atletico, who have a strong Argentine core, could only advance for Martinez if their current No 1 Jan Oblak departs. Oblak has interest from the Saudi Pro League yet the Slovenian, currently competing at the Club World Cup, has been unconvinced about leaving top-level European football. The 32-year-old also has three years left on a lucrative contract. Though Martinez signed a new five-year deal with Villa less than a year ago, which made him one of the highest-paid players in the history of the club, some at Villa started to feel during last season that he had eyes on a move away. Yet Villa are likely to let Martinez leave only if they have a replacement lined up. Boss Unai Emery was very interested in Espanyol goalkeeper Joan Garcia, who has since joined Barcelona. As things stand, United expect to head into the new campaign with Andre Onana as their No 1, even though Monaco have shown interest in the former Ajax and Inter Milan player.
Yahoo
16 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Barcelona exit on the rocks as negotiations come to standstill
Barcelona have plenty of motivation to speed up their exit operation this summer, as Director of Football Deco looks to move on a number of players in order to clear salary limit space for the potential signing of Nico Williams. As many as seven players will need to leave if the Blaugrana want to avoid sacrificing one of their more valued assets. In that list is Ansu Fati. It has been apparent for some time that the 22-year-old's future lies away from Camp Nou, with Hansi Flick offering him precious little in the way of opportunities. Hence, he will seek opportunities elsewhere. It had been reported that he was on the verge of a move to AS Monaco, but that move appears to be at a standstill. Fati to Monaco held up Fati has supposedly given the green light for a move, and Monaco coach Adi Hutter is keen to work with the injury-prone forward. However Hutter has asked for as many deals to be completed before their preseason as possible, say Sport (via Sempre Barca), and wants new faces in by the 28th of June. Their information is that there are now doubts about whether a move will be completed in Monaco. Barcelona's Ansu Fati runs during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Valladolid and FC Barcelona at the Jose Zorrilla stadium in Valladolid, Spain, Saturday, May 3, 2025. (Image via AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) Advertisement The Catalan daily go on to claim that while agent Jorge Mendes has been trying to wrap the deal up, their stances remain 'distant'. The deal is in real danger of collapse, They quote L'Equipe, who also say that Monaco believe Hutter has sufficient firepower in the squad, reducing the need for a move for Fati. Salary and composition of deal in question The key issues holding up the deal are the fashion of the deal. There is a fundamental disagreement on how much of Fati's salary Barcelona will continue to pay, as one of the highest earners in their squad. The second is whether the deal is a loan, whether an option to buy is included, or if it could be a sale with a buyback option included for Barcelona. Fati currently has two years left on his deal, but his exit is considered necessary to clear space in their salary limit, and the Blaugrana have supposedly set a deadline for the end of June.
Time Out
4 days ago
- Business
- Time Out
South Africa moves toward eSIMs: What it means for travellers and locals
Cape Town, along with the rest of South Africa, is starting to say goodbye to plastic SIM cards. As mobile operators push toward more sustainable tech, electronic SIMs, better known as eSIMs, are quickly gaining traction. According to a recent report by MyBroadband, Vodacom, MTN, and Cell C are actively investing in the transition, with growing support for eSIM-ready devices and digital onboarding processes. In simple terms, eSIMs allow you to activate mobile service by scanning a QR code. No physical SIM card is needed. This is especially useful for travellers flying into Cape Town: you can install an eSIM on your phone before you leave home, land with instant mobile access, and skip the SIM kiosk altogether. The push for eSIMs isn't just about convenience. South Africa's mobile industry has long struggled with making the switch, in addition to the environmental implications, and operators say they're now taking it seriously. Vodacom has started enforcing stricter rules on inactive SIMs, while Cell C's CEO Jorge Mendes points out that the high turnover of SIM cards results in waste and inflated subscriber metrics. "In one month, you suddenly connected 100,000 eSIMs instead of issuing four million plastic SIMs. There will be a negative 3.9 million subscribers reported," he told MyBroadband. Adoption is being driven by both international visitors and South African travellers going abroad. MTN notes steady growth in eSIM usage, particularly among users with dual-SIM phones who seek flexibility without the need to juggle multiple cards. Vodacom now supports over 1.5 million eSIM-enabled devices on its network. For locals and tourists alike, this shift means better security (since there's no removable SIM to lose or clone), potential savings on roaming, and one less piece of plastic to worry about. Providers like Airalo, Saily, Nomad, AloSIM, and Gigago offer easy eSIM packages tailored for use by locals, regionally across Africa, or for international travel - many of which can be managed directly from your phone. Before switching, make sure your device supports eSIMs (most iPhones from 2018 onward and many Android devices do). Then, pick a plan that fits your data needs and travel route.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Wolves Land Midfielder in €20m Deal After Celta Vigo Contract Loophole
Wolves Raid Celta Vigo for Starlet as Transfer Loophole Frustrates La Liga Club Contract Clause Opens Door for Wolves Celta Vigo's hopes of landing a record-breaking transfer fee have been dashed by a clause hidden deep within Fer López's reserve team contract. As reported by the talented midfielder is poised to join Wolverhampton Wanderers for just €20 million, rather than the €40 million many assumed was required. Advertisement The low release figure stems from López's dual contract arrangement. His first-team clause stood at €40 million, but because he was never formally promoted beyond the reserves, Wolves only need to pay half. 'Currently, Fer López still has a reserve team contract, and Wolverhampton's emergence at this time means he only has to pay €20 million to secure the talented Celta Vigo midfielder.' Photo IMAGO Mendes Connection Proves Pivotal Celta Vigo are effectively powerless to stop the deal, with López having already agreed terms with the Premier League side. Their only option now lies in negotiating payment in instalments. Ironically, the club's best hope for a smoother exit may lie with Jorge Mendes, Wolves' manager and López's agent. Advertisement 'The good relationship between Celta Vigo and Jorge Mendes… could facilitate this path.' Missed Opportunity for Celta's Future The loss is immense, both on the pitch and in the accounts. Celta lose the player earmarked to follow Iago Aspas's footsteps — 'the heir to Iago Aspas, the most talented player in the youth academy since the genius from Moaña emerged.' The club also forfeits the most lucrative deal in their history. '€20 million for a player as promising as Fer López sounds like a real bargain.' Financial Fallout for Club Leadership Celta's decision not to promote López to the senior squad now haunts sporting director Marco Garcés. 'Garcés won't have as much money to find a replacement, which would be entirely different from earning €40 million.' Advertisement In the unforgiving modern market, €20 million feels like pocket change for such a high ceiling. Wolves appear to have pulled off one of the smartest coups of the summer. Our View – EPL Index Analysis For Wolves supporters, this feels like a watershed moment. Picking up a player of Fer López's calibre, one hailed as 'the heir to Iago Aspas,' for just €20 million is daylight robbery in today's inflated market. It is a clear sign that the club, now under Jorge Mendes' direct stewardship, is finally exploiting its unique network smartly. This move sends out a message: Wolves are done with scrapping for survival. They want to build something lasting. López isn't just another punt on potential — he's seen as a player Celta hoped to build their future around. Now, that future might be cast in old gold. Advertisement Of course, expectation brings pressure. If López settles quickly, Wolves could have a midfield star ready to influence games by Christmas. The fact that Mendes is both representing and managing ensures the player will be given every chance. There will be concerns about ethics and dual interests, but right now, the only thing Wolves fans care about is the talent. If this transfer works, it could be the start of a golden generation at Molineux.
