Wolves have completed the £1 million signing of highly-rated 17-year-old defender Luke Matheson from League One side Rochdale.
What a year it has been for young Luke Matheson.
He announced himself to the world by scoring a famous, famous goal in the EFL Cup against Manchester United earlier this season, and has been on the radar of many Premier League clubs ever since. He was also only 16 when he scored that goal, as Rochdale eventually lost on penalties to the biggest club in English football.
Wolves were the first to jump on the young defender, officially signing him for a mere £1 million from Rochdale, loaning him back for the rest of the season as part of the deal.
At just 17, Matheson is most certainly a player for the future for Wolves, but you can probably expect to see him in the pre-season set-up ahead of the 2020-21 season, and perhaps playing a backup role next year, as Wolves aim to continue their good form in the Premier League.
5th September 2018: Luke Matheson becomes the youngest ever debutant in Rochdale's history: 15 years and 336 days old.
— Squawka (@Squawka) January 31, 2020
31st January 2020: Luke Matheson signs for Premier League side Wolves.
He's only just passed his driving test. 😅 pic.twitter.com/vxjqeoeXm2
Luke Matheson is a living, breathing example of what cup football can do for a player in the lower leagues of English football. If he didn’t put in the performance he did against Manchester United, would he be on the radar of Premier League clubs and eventually signed by Wolves? I highly doubt it.
Matheson has featured 5 times already for England’s u18 side, and came out of the Rochdale academy in 2018. His contract with Wolves will last 2-and-a-half years.
Just like they did last season, Wolves are in a hot race for a spot in European football next season, and currently sit 7th in the league – level on points with both Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur. Nuno Espirito Santo has also brought in Daniel Podence to help out the first-team as they aim for a top 4 spot.