Wolverhampton Wanderers' middling Premier League finish was actually a tremendous achievement for Gary O'Neil, whose Old Gold team were forecast for a miserable, relegation-threatened campaign before a ball had been kicked.
But 14th place – three points off Crystal Palace's resounding tenth-placed finish – speaks of a largely controlled and calamity-free season, with even the injury woes of Pedro Neto failing to pull Wolves toward the pit of the division.
However, Wolves' squad needs a range of improvements, not least due to an alarming lack of depth, and given that Neto's name will feature at the heart of transfer circulation over the coming weeks and months, O'Neil might be wise to bolster the frontline.
And that, indeed, appears to be the prime concern in regard to incomings.
Wolves' search for a striker
According to talkSPORT, Wolves are poised to fight against the likes of AC Milan and Crystal Palace for the signing of Armando Broja, who has been made expendable by Chelsea.
Previously demanding £50m for the 22-year-old, Chelsea have recognised that such a figure has dissuaded suitors and now the striker has been listed for £30m, though the Molineux side will likely seek to whittle down that price further.
Why Armando Broja would thrive at Wolves
Broja's 2022/23 campaign was ravaged by an ACL injury that restricted him to just 12 Premier League appearances, scoring one goal, adding one assist and enjoying two starts.
This season, he found fitness once again but failed to make a significant impact in Mauricio Pochettino's side, scoring once in the league and once again in the FA Cup before spending the latter half of the term on loan with Fulham, where he failed to score and failed to earn a starting berth.
Still, as per FBref, Broja ranks among the top 11% of forwards across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for touches in the attacking penalty area and the top 1% for pass completion and successful take-ons per 90, emphasising a technical quality that would make him the perfect, dynamic addition to O'Neil's frontline.
Described as "athletic and powerful" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, Broja has proven himself in the Premier League during a loan spell with Southampton in 2021/22, where the 6 foot 3 ace enjoyed a breakthrough campaign that highlighted his physicality and sharpshooting skills both.
However, Wolves have been pushing to sign Southampton forward Che Adams this summer and whether both can be attained with work needed in other areas is uncertain, but Broja would surely be the preferable option if Fosun green-lit a possible move.
Adams is out of contract this summer and while he has been heavily linked with a move to Wolves, the Scotland star is considering waiting until after the forthcoming European Championship before finalising his future.
The 27-year-old scored 17 goals from 46 Championship appearances this season but only played 25 times from the outset – despite missing just four matches due to injury or absence.
Moreover, he bagged just five times in the English top flight last year, featuring 28 times but failing to provide the attacking impetus needed to veer away from relegation.
Adams is a decent Premier League striker with a return of 25 goals and 13 assists across 124 outings, and while he's blessed with certain playmaking benefits, Broja is younger, with far more malleability to allow him to slot into the Wolves project.
Of course, the Saints man's imminent unattached status makes him a more cost-effective deal, but given that Neto may indeed depart, the Molineux outfit would be wise to target a player capable of developing into a real focal point, confident in his ability to emerge as a commanding figure for a team fighting for positions at the upper end of the Premier League table.
And it's that promise of high-level performances that could make him the perfect strike partner for Matheus Cunha, who has gone from strength to strength in Old Gold colours this season after enduring an indifferent initial foray into English football.
Cunha's former head coach at Hertha Berlin, Bruno Labbadia, once said: "[Cunha] has something special. He can always produce something with a moment of individual brilliance."
Wolves acquired the Brazilian's services on an initial loan from Atletico Madrid in January 2023 before finalising the deal for £35m last summer, and while he failed to impress as a loanee, he has since skyrocketed under O'Neil's guidance.
Matches played
17
31
Matches started
12
28
Goals
2
12
Assists
0
7
G/A rate
0.12
0.61
Pass completion
76%
82%
Big chances created
1
7
Shots per game
1.5
2.3
Key passes per game
0.4
0.9
Dribbles per game
1.5 (76%)
2.0 (52%)
Duels won per game
3.6 (41%)
5.0 (43%)
Having made improvements across the board, Cunha is well and truly one of the most versatile and multi-faceted strikers in the Premier League, with such skills sure to bounce right off Broja's.
Broja – hailed as an "animal" by The Athletic's Jacob Tanswell – has the crisp possession-based quality and sharp goalscoring instinct to take the lead as the chief goalscorer in Wolves' squad, all the while maintaining fluency in his play that will ensure that the Wanderers' counter-attacking style of play succeeds.
Cunha has found such a partner in Hwang Hee-chan this season – who scored 12 Premier League goals from 25 starts – but the South Korean could revert to a wide attacking role with such a chain of events – Neto leaving, Broja arriving to bolster the centre of the frontline but open up fresh space on the wing.
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While Adams might appear to be the shrewder signature to go for, Wolves need to make the right moves this summer to ensure that O'Neil's team progresses, and doesn't fall down the table and face a regression after such promise this season.