Wolves striker Fabio Silva has failed to make an impression at Molineux since moving from Porto in 2020, but his former coach Robin Veldman has hinted that the Old Gold have yet to see one side of the forward.
Wolves are having a successful season under Gary O’Neil, with an eye on upcoming challenges in the 2023/24 season.
Despite the challenges the squad endured during the summer, the Old Gold are two points behind the European positions in the Premier League and are set for an FA Cup quarter-final this weekend.
A win over Coventry City may propel O’Neil’s side to Wembley Stadium, which would be an incredible feat for the Englishman.
With all of the excitement at Molineux, the squad has had no need to look anyplace other than ahead of them; but, one club associate has been making ripples outside of the Midlands.
Fabio Silva has been impressive while on loan at Rangers.
Since joining Rangers in January, Fabio Silva has scored four goals in 14 appearances.
The Portuguese forward’s transfer to Glasgow is his third loan assignment since joining Wolves in 2020, and he has yet to make an impact at Molineux.
The 21-year-old has taken his time adjusting to life at the Premier League club, with only five goals in 72 games, which does not justify his £35 million price tag.
Rangers’ versatile attacker has proven his worth so far, playing both centrally and off the left wing in Philippe Clement’s team, giving O’Neil something to think about when the former Porto ace returns to Wolverhampton.
The side of Fabio Silva that Wolves are yet to see
Silva failed to score in eight Premier League games during the first half of the 2023/24 season, prompting O’Neil to feel that another loan term was the best option for the youngster.
With Matheus Cunha and Hwang Hee-chan firing under the manager’s orders, it may be difficult for the Rangers loanee to return. However, one of his former coaches has hinted that there is a side of Silva that Wolves have yet to see.
In an interview with SunSport, Robin Veldman, a member of Anderlecht’s coaching staff during Silva’s loan, described the 21-year-old’s “insane” personality.
“Fabio is certain about what he wants and how he sees things. He can come out as arrogant, but he has a nice heart, and I really like him.”
“Wolves paid massive money and his wages for his age were insane, but he had a clear idea of what he wanted.”
“I see him now at Rangers, and he is putting a lot of effort into receiving the ball in midfield and running a lot. But I just wanted him in front of the goal.”
Silva’s fiery personality, as described by Veldman, has yet to be shown at Molineux, with his approach to playing under O’Neil appearing to be reserved at times.
The former Anderlecht coach stated that, while he had “no issues” with the attacker, there were aspects of his personality that he needed to fix.
“I had no issues with Fabio.”
“I removed him from the pitch after 70 minutes, and he was furious. Fabio booted out a GPS responder, demonstrating a lack of regard for the performance staff.”
“We had a chat, and I told him he needed to be more supportive and respectful. But Fabio accepted it, so we were great.”
The 21-year-old’s drive to play and succeed is something Wolves fans are still waiting to see from the forward, who will undoubtedly have his future at Molineux considered as O’Neil prepares to examine his plans for the youngster this summer.
Some of the criteria mentioned by Veldman point to areas in which the manager wants his players to excel, with the upcoming transfer window having the ability to make or break Silva.
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