Wolverhampton Wanderers have reportedly turned their attention to trying to sign Corinthians forward Yuri Alberto.
Ever since Wolves allowed each of Fabio Silva and Sasa Kalajdzic to go out on loan, head coach Gary O'Neil has been eager to bring a new striker to Molineux.
Academy graduate Nathan Fraser has provided backup in the short term, with the 18-year-old scoring in the FA Cup third-round replay with Brentford earlier this month.
However, Wolves have been heavily linked with acquiring a more experienced alternative to the outgoing pair, with Chelsea's Armando Broja seemingly being their preferred target.
As it stands, though, a deal appears to be off the table, a consequence of Wolves allegedly only being interested in a straight loan at this stage rather than meeting Chelsea's demands of an obligation to buy.
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While O'Neil would not comment on Broja during a press conference on Wednesday, he hinted that he remained hopeful of signing a new forward before Thursday's deadline.
According to The Telegraph, Wolves are in discussions with Corinthians regarding a deal for Alberto.
The report suggests that the West Midlands outfit are keen to negotiate an initial loan deal for the remainder of the campaign, although there is no mention of an option to buy being included in any proposal.
Alberto is regarded as a key man at Corinthians, contributing 15 goals and nine assists from a remarkable 67 appearances during the 2023 campaign.
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In total, the versatile attacker has chipped in 26 goals and 11 assists from 95 outings for the Brazilian giants, as well as earning one cap for his country at senior level.
Should Alberto make the switch to Wolves, he would link up with Brazilian compatriots Joao Gomes and Matheus Cunha, while there are also a number of Portuguese-speaking players at the club.
With Alberto holding a contract until 2027, it is unclear whether Corinthians would prefer a straight loan or insist on Wolves committing to signing Alberto on a permanent deal in July.
Wolves are also on the brink of signing Paris Saint-Germain youngster Noha Lemina - the brother of midfielder Mario Lemina - on loan, with O'Neil confirming to reporters on Wednesday that a transfer should be completed before close of business on Thursday.
Darren Plant
