Profile
Wolverhampton Wanderers have used their Portuguese connections wisely in recent years, including the signing of goalkeeper Rui Patrício from Sporting Lisbon in June 2018 following the club’s return to the Premier League.
Patrício made more than 450 first-team appearances at his only club before moving to England, winning seven pieces of silverware in his 12 years there. Having represented Portugal at every age group from the under-16s, he made his international debut in late 2010 and was the undisputed first-choice goalkeeper for almost the entire decade, which of course included a first triumph at a major tournament for Portugal when they won Euro 2016.
Patrício has plenty of experience and he has played a significant role in Wolves establishing themselves as a top-half Premier League team, but their manager Nuno Espírito Santo – a former goalkeeper himself – says there is still room for improvement. “When he joined us, he was a top goalkeeper and a European champion who had played almost 100 games for Portugal,” Nuno said. “He has been amazing for us, but we know there are aspects he can still improve, and this is what we are working on.”