A summer target last year, but sporting director Matt Hobbs hopes Wolves are getting an even better version of Carlos Forbs, with the winger a more experienced player.
The Old Gold tracked the winger while at Manchester City, but Forbs spent the past year in the Eredivisie with Ajax, meaning he’s returned to the UK with 38 senior appearances to his name.
The Portuguese became a deadline day signing for Wolves, initially on loan, and Hobbs says Wolves fans can expect a quick winger, hungry to take on his man, which will bring excitement to Molineux this season.
On bringing Forbs in
“It’s one we’ve been looking at over the summer. The player’s always been keen to come here. So, he's always been a bit excited about the project. Probably one that, after maybe getting priced out of a few other moves, that with his availability being now, we had the opportunity to maybe take advantage of that.
“When he was at Man City, before Ajax, he was a player we wanted to sign that summer, but Ajax could pay more money than us. This has actually been a year in the making really. Obviously, coming through the City academy, he has a great education and is homegrown.
“He was one we definitely wanted to try and do last summer, and then Ajax made a great offer for him and he got a great move to a huge club, and now we get the opportunity to bring him in. So, maybe it's just a year delayed.”
On his demand last summer
“There was interest from lots of clubs. There was interest because of what he did in the youth at City year in, year out, was incredible with his pace, his power and his ability on the ball. He’s a good kid, I spoke over the last couple of weeks with some friends I've got at City who were there when he was there and everyone speaks really highly of him. I think there were some big clubs at that time, and I think even last January a couple of Premier League clubs were trying to get the deal done to bring him back but couldn’t get it done.
“You can see how a lot of the boys have come out of Man City, we've got a great example in Tommy, and done really well at big clubs. For us to get a player that we wanted last summer, and now with a year’s experience in the top league, at a big, big football club, it's probably even more exciting than even last summer.”
On gaining experience from Ajax
“It was his first season out of youth football. Coming out of Man City to drop straight into a huge football club like Ajax, in a football obsessed city, a lot of pressure, big money signing for them, I think he would have learned loads about himself, about this game and about football. I think whether it went exactly according to plan on the pitch for him, I'm not sure, but I think he would have learned loads about what he needs to do.
“He's still developing. 20-year-olds, a winger, he’ll still be finding his game. Pedro [Neto] was around the same age when we brought him. Once he had that time to learn and understand, we all know what he went on to achieve for this football club, and we have the same for hope for Carlos.”
On his style of play
“He’s quick and wants to run in behind. He’s technically good, with the education he had, but he’s really direct, good one versus one, will look to stretch teams and with that pace will give us something we probably haven't got. We have it with Rodrigo, but he likes to come inside and play inside the pitch, whereas Carlos really wants to go one versus one and get at defenders.”
On playing with Doyle and Gomes
“I always talk about our group and how easy is to bed into, but certainly when you've got teammates or their ex-teammates, it helps. I spoke to Tommy about him, he knew him well, and spoke really highly of him, because he knows what our group's like and what type of characters fit in. That makes it easy for him.”
On being ready to go
“He's ready to go. He's been playing. He’ll go away with Portugal, hopefully do well, get back and get ready for Newcastle. He’ll have some time to know Gary and start working with him and the other players. He probably wants to get going with a new club, but we'll see him in 10 days and he'll be ready to go.”
