This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…
When presented with the opportunity to sign a young promising defender from Real Madrid it’s hard to turn it down.
Add the fact the man in question captained Spain’s U21s to a European Championship final over the summer and the lure becomes even more irresistible.
Jesus Vallejo arrived on loan from the Spanish giants after guiding his team to victory in the U21 Euros with a glowing reputation.
Madrid recommended Wolves as the place for him to go and it’s easy to see why given the chances of securing football would have been high.
As is well known, Nuno Santo likes to operate with a three-man defence. Not only that, but he also possesses a slim squad, one that used just 21 players in the Premier League last term.
With that in mind, it is perhaps incredibly damning that Vallejo has started just one top-flight game and amassed a measly 612 minutes across all competitions. In league action, that accounts for just 162 minutes.
However, with reports lingering of a possible recall, it’s unlikely he’ll be able to add to that small tally he’s already registered.
A story in Spain this week has suggested that Madrid are unhappy with the 22-year-old’s time in the Midlands and could exercise their right to recall the centre-back in January.
It appears Vallejo now has a real battle on his hands to save his career at Wolves, a club he admitted in September he was happy at.
Those feelings may now be a distant memory. Even despite Willy Boly’s ankle fracture, the Spain youth international has been left on the sidelines.
Nuno doesn’t trust him and what’s indicative of that is the fact midfielders Leander Dendoncker and Romain Saiss have been preferred alongside club captain Conor Coady.
The £9m-rated defender is out of the reckoning and it’s hardly surprising. He was a bystander on his only start in the Premier League, conceding five against Chelsea while his Europa League displays haven’t lived up expectation either.
At the European Championships last summer, he completed 1.8 tackles per game and also registered a pass success rate of 91.7%. However, this term his tackle rate is at just 0.5 on average each outing. He’s also had one error that’s led to a shot at goal in the top-flight.
With Madrid growing ever concerned about his situation, it could be the end of the road for Vallejo at Molineux. He simply hasn’t shown enough and it’s unlikely he ever will given he’s now further down the pecking order.