Three Wolves striker contenders after Jorgen Strand Larsen exit update
Wolves managed to keep hold of striker Jorgen Strand Larsen in the summer but could be forced to let him leave when the January window rolls around.
Jorgen Strand Larsen‘s future at Wolves was up in the air towards the end of the summer transfer window as Newcastle tried to coax him to St James’ Park to bolster their striker depth.
Football Insider revealed on 30 August that Wolves would demand close to £60million to sell Strand Larsen so late in the window, and Newcastle saw a £55m bid for his services rejected before agreeing personal terms as he wanted to make the move
The striker instead stayed at the Molineux club past the deadline, and has struggled to find form since, with just one league goal so far this season.
Football Insider have revealed that Strand Larsen will demand to leave Wolves in January if their dismal form does not improve, and so we have picked out three potential replacements that they could realistically sign in the new year in their current predicament.
Hugo Duro
Wolves struck gold with Strand Larsen last season as he arrived from Celta Vigo, so signing another player from La Liga of a similar age and stature could well be the way forward.
Valencia striker Hugo Duro has notched double figures for league goals in each of the last two seasons, and has three strikes in 12 appearances so far in 2025-26.
Duro was linked to West Ham last season, so is clearly well thought of by Premier League sides, and Wolves would be able to afford him with the money received from Strand Larsen’s sale.
According to FBref, Duro has been the second-most alike player to Strand Larsen from a statistical standpoint across all strikers in the last 365 days from the men’s big five leagues, Champions League and Europa League, so he would clearly be a smart addition to their ranks right now.
Taiwo Awoniyi
Taiwo Awoniyi has been given a second chance at Nottingham Forest this season, but the future still looks bleak for him in the East Midlands right now.
He is battling with Chris Wood and Arnaud Kalimuendo for places in Sean Dyche’s side, and the latter is currently behind him in the striker pecking order but will surely soon be preferred considering the £26million fee he signed for in the summer.
Awoniyi has a history of scoring in the Premier League, with six goals in 20 appearances when he first joined Forest in 2023-24.
He has not been too prolific in recent seasons amid health concerns, but could be a really valuable option for Wolves going forward if Strand Larsen leaves.
Josh Sargent
Sunderland wanted to sign Josh Sargent from Norwich City in the summer but a deal didn’t materialise, and he would surely jump at the chance to move to Wolves in January considering the Canaries’ current struggles.
USA international striker Sargent is due a return to the top-flight, having scored 13, 16 and 15 league goals in the last three Championship seasons respectively.
He is clearly one of the best forwards in the second-tier, and it could be argued that Wolves need to have one eye on that division, and may well do in January, given the fact they have not won a game all season and sit bottom of the Premier League with two points.
New boss Rob Edwards will know all about Sargent from his own experience in the Championship, and he could be a realistic, affordable option to replace Strand Larsen if he does leave.