Wolverhampton Wanderers have not had too much to shout about this season, with the club on the path to recording their lowest Premier League finish since their promotion to the top division, it has been a campaign of underachievement so far.
With four games remaining, the Midlands side sit in 14th, which in hindsight is a positive ending for a challenging year that has seen two managers take charge of the promising side.
Bruno Lage’s time at Molineux ended at the start of October, after the club slipped into the relegation zone on the back of a series of poor results and far from acceptable performances.
Things have however started to look up since the appointment of Julen Lopetegui, who has managed to guide the squad to seven points above the relegation zone, all but confirming their stay in the league ahead of next season.
One player that has been a revelation for Wolves has been Jose Sa, who joined the club back in the summer of 2021 from Olympiacos. The signing was an essential one as Rui Patricio departed the club for Roma just days before his arrival.
How much is Jose Sa worth?
The Portuguese shot-stopper signed on a five-year deal, and has seen his market value rise since his switch to the Midlands for a fee of £6.85m. The 30-year-old is now worth around €26m (£23m), per FootballTransfers, w hich marks an impressive 235% increase on Lage's investment
It has been impeccable business by Wolves bringing the experienced keeper in, considering his ability and rise in value since his arrival. Last season, the Braga-born keeper took home the club’s player of the season award in a year that saw his side finish 10th.
He was also once lauded by Wolves Hall of Fame full-back Andy Thompson as a “bargain” and “outstanding” in his consistency of producing top performances. Sa has maintained his level of play, ranking in the top ten of shots saved in the Premier League (88), as well as ranking at 14th for interceptions (44).
The 6 foot 2 shot-stopper, who earns just £25k-per-week at Molineux, has been included in Sofascore’s team of the week twice this season, as well as ranking in the top ten highest performing Wolves players, maintaining an average match rating of 6.84.
As Lopetegui gets a chance to craft the squad to suit his palette in the summer transfer window, it’s a relief for the Spanish coach to not have to worry about the spot between the posts, with Daniel Bentley arriving from Bristol City in January.
In a season of ups and downs for Wolves, the club’s keeper has been a revelation and has consistently exceeded his £6.25m price tag.
