Wolves Send Bastien Meupiyou on Loan to Alverca for 2025โ26 Season
Wolverhampton Wanderers have reportedly agreed to loan out highly-rated French centre-back Bastien Meupiyou to Portuguese side Alverca for the 2025โ26 season.
The move is part of Wolves’ wider plan to secure regular senior football for some of their emerging talents who remain on the fringes of the first team.
The Premier League outfit signed Meupiyou from Nantes last summer in a deal worth approximately ยฃ4.2 million. The teenager arrived at Molineux with a strong reputation, having represented France at youth level and shown significant potential during his time in Ligue 1. He was handed a five-year contract, with hopes that he would develop into a future defensive mainstay.
However, the 19-year-oldโs progress has stalled somewhat since joining Wolves. An early-season injury kept him sidelined for several months, and despite recovering, he failed to make a single senior appearance under either Gary O’Neil or his successor, Vitor Pereira.
His only professional minutes to date remain limited to nine, with most of his involvement coming in Premier League 2 matches, including standout performances against Manchester City and Manchester United.
According to Lโรquipe, Wolves have moved to rectify the situation by arranging a season-long loan move to Primeira Liga newcomers Alverca.
The Portuguese club recently completed a deal for another Wolves player, winger Chiquinho, who joined on a free transfer with a sell-on clause included.
Meupiyou is now set to follow him to the Complexo Desportivo FC Alverca, where he is expected to be a regular starter in the heart of defence.
This marks Wolvesโ third player departure to Portugal this summer, with midfielder Joe Hodge having also joined Liga Portugal 2 side Tondela last week.
Manager Vitor Pereira has been vocal about the need to streamline the squad, and the clubโs ownership group, Fosun International, appears focused on creating room for new arrivals.
One such addition is imminent, with Fluminense winger Jhon Arias reportedly on the verge of joining the club. The Colombian said farewell to Fluminense supporters last Thursday and is expected to be unveiled by Wolves early next week.
The loan move represents a crucial opportunity for Meupiyou to gain consistent senior experience in a top-flight league. Wolves will be watching closely, hopeful that regular minutes in Portugal can accelerate his development and prepare him for a future role in their first team setup.
If successful, the spell at Alverca could prove to be a turning point in Meupiyouโs careerโand a strategic win for Wolvesโ long-term planning.