Wolves defender Toti has signed a new five-and-a-half-year deal at Molineux.
The 25-year-old is enjoying his best season yet under Gary O’Neil, finding a home on the left side of Wolves’ back three and producing consistent performances in old gold.
After entering the sport at a later age than many of his colleagues, Toti joined Wolves in September 2020 from Estoril and was immediately loaned to Grasshoppers in Switzerland, where he set himself up perfectly for a return to Molineux.
Having starred in the Swiss Challenge League, Toti helped his loan club to the league title and then consolidation in the top tier, finishing his spell with Grasshoppers with 53 appearances and three goals.
With Wolves low on defenders in January 2022, Toti was recalled and thrown in to start in a 3-1 Premier League win over Southampton at Molineux, and that’s where he stayed, going on to make five appearances under Bruno Lage that campaign.
Continuing into last season, Toti was used as an effective left-back during the season run-in, where his first goal arrived – a towering header against Aston Villa, which all but secured the club’s status in the Premier League.
Our 24, staying until '29.
— Wolves (@Wolves) February 8, 2024
✍️ @TotiGomes23 pic.twitter.com/zW0rMNRQGb
Under Gary O’Neil, Toti began the season on the bench, but a move to a back three as Manchester City were beaten at Molineux signalled the turning point, with the defender starting every match since and earning a senior Portugal debut.
His turn and pass for Hee Chan Hwang against Newcastle United was arguably the club’s assist of the season to date, while during Sunday’s win at Chelsea, Toti made his 50th appearance for Wolves.
Sporting director Matt Hobbs said: “With Toti, what you get is someone who gives absolutely everything and provides different variation – his athleticism has given us real balance across the back. He’s a great guy to have around, a really positive person, driven and a full international now.
“I say it a lot, because they’re the type of people we want to bring in, but he’s great around the place, while still having a huge amount of humility. He wants to be the best player he can be every single day and he trains well. To earn contracts here, people have to earn them with what they do on the pitch and off the pitch, and Toti’s earned it.
“He’ll want to kick on. He’ll want to be a starter for Portugal, and he knows the best way to do that is putting in great performances with us. He knows he still has lots of things to do, but with his personality, he’ll make sure he keeps striving. I’ve got no doubt that he’ll keep improving for sure.”
