Wolves ponder move for striker that finished joint-second to Lionel Messi in Golden Boot race

Wolves are considering a January move for Nashville striker Sam Surridge, talkSPORT understands.

Former Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest star Surridge scored 24 MLS goals this season, second only to Lionel Messi.

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Surridge ultimately finished the campaign with 31 goals in 40 matches across all competitions for the Tennessee-based club, who were knocked out of the MLS Cup playoffs in the first round by Messi’s Inter Miami.

The 27-year-old would arrive at Molineux with Premier League experience having played for Bournemouth and Forest.

However, Surridge did not score for the Cherries at Premier League level and mustered just one goal in the top flight for Forest.

Surridge, who has also featured in the National League, League Two and the Championship, had never scored double figures in a league campaign until he moved to Nashville from Forest in July 2023.

Although he did not enjoy prolific goalscoring campaigns in English football, the move to MLS proved to be the perfect tonic for Surridge as he has 51 goals in 87 games for Nashville.

He was ahead of Messi at one point in the race for the MLS golden boot in the 2025 season, but the World Cup winner ultimately won the award with 28 goals in 29 league fixtures.

Should the move eventuate, Surridge would join a Wolves side rooted to the bottom of the Premier League ladder.

The Black Country outfit are yet to win a game after 17 league fixtures, drawing twice and losing 15.

Rob Edwards‘ side have also scored just nine goals and conceded 37, the fewest and most in the league respectively.

Wolves may be looking for attacking replacements as striker Jorgen Stand Larsen is linked with a move away from Molineux.

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The Athletic reported West Ham United are considering a move for Strand Larsen, who netted 14 times for Wolves last season but has one goal to his name this term.

Wolves would hope any move for Surridge would help them avoid a return to the Championship after seven years away.

The club’s last campaign in the second tier was in 2017/18, when they finished first.

Since their promotion, Wolves recorded three top-half finishes, although the last of those came in the 2021/22 season when they came 10th.

However, Wolves have progressively slid down the table with each following season, finishing 13th, 14th and 16th.

Edwards’ side will look to secure their first league win of the campaign when they travel to Anfield for a clash against Liverpool on December 27.

Wolves then face Manchester United at Old Trafford on December 30 to round out the first half of the season.