In a stunning 49-minute display against Shrewsbury, Jorgen Strand Larsen matched his goal tally from his previous 22 appearances for Wolves. Yet, these might be his final contributions for the club.
Securing a hat-trick against the League Two side, Larsen’s performance propelled Wolves into the fourth round of the FA Cup. Despite this achievement, Wolves remain open to offers for the Norwegian striker this January transfer window, with Nottingham Forest reportedly preparing an initial bid.
Wolves’ manager, Rob Edwards, acknowledged the possibility of Larsen’s departure, stating, “Interest in good players is inevitable, but we’ll address each situation individually.”
The match itself was a straightforward affair for Wolves, marking their fourth straight game without defeat across all competitions.
Early strikes from Larsen and Jhon Arias set the tone, and although John Marquis managed to reduce the deficit with a penalty, Wolves remained dominant. Larsen added two more goals, and substitute Rodrigo Gomes found the net, ensuring Wolves’ victory was never in doubt. In the dying moments, a brilliant assist from rising star Mateus Mane allowed David Moller Wolfe to set up Tolu Arokodare for the sixth goal, after Arokodare replaced Larsen.
Jorgen Strand Larsen scores Wolves’s fourth goal and completes his hat-trick
Strand Larsen gives the thumbs up during his stellar display – amid speculation over his future
Any club interested in Larsen would be drawn to the skills he showcased in this match. His performance included two deft finishes—a back-heel and a composed side-footed shot into the far corner—and a long-range effort into an open net following a gift from Shrewsbury’s goalkeeper Elyh Harrison.
Everyone knows what Strand Larsen can do. He managed 14 goals in the last campaign, which was a complicated one for Wolves, and attracted offers of close to £60m from Newcastle last summer. As the bids arrived so close to the deadline, Wolves decided not to sell, accepting they would probably never receive such an offer again.
The problem was that Strand Larsen wanted to move to the Magpies and this disappointment, along with persistent Achilles trouble, has hindered him this term. His last goal at club level was in the defeat by Burnley here in October and in the league, he has not scored from open play all season.
The 25-year-old has been targeted by home supporters during Wolves’ miserable campaign yet they were behind him again here.
If Strand Larsen has indeed scored for the last time for Wolves, at least this performance should guarantee him a better reception on his return than he might have received otherwise. Because hat-trick or no hat-trick, Strand Larsen remains in the shop window.
Molineux’s new prince
Four starts, two goals, and already two chants. Mateus Mane has not been around for long but the Wolves supporters have fallen in love.
Mane, 18, has made such an impact that he was rested for this game, to keep him fresh for the Premier League. Before he even came on, the South Bank was serenading him and when Mane did replace Joao Gomes after an hour, they sang another song in his honour.
Matheus Mane is already a fan favourite – and Wolves will not consider selling this month
Many players can reach 100 games for a single club without having their own chant, but supporters here understand that Mane is no ordinary player. One touch to set up a shot showed his class, before an outrageous outside-of-the-foot pass that helped create the sixth – the sort of technique and vision that would have made even Zinedine Zidane proud.
Here is the good news. Daily Mail Sport understands Wolves will consider selling any player this month, except for Mane.
Clubs have already tried, but sporting director Matt Jackson has insisted Wolves will not entertain any offers. All supporters hope that position holds for the rest of this month.
It may be a different conversation in the summer. All things being equal, Wolves will be able to demand a huge fee for Mane, much of which can be used to rebuild the squad to try to make an instant return to the Premier League.
For now, though, Wolves fans want to enjoy watching him for as long as they can.
