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Nottingham Forest are in “advanced” talks to bring Benfica pair Joao Carvalho and Diogo Goncalves to the City Ground this summer.

Both names will be familiar to the eyes of Wolverhampton Wanderers supporters, whose club was heavily linked with moves for each of the two players last summer.

It was a busy window as Nuno Espirito Santo arrived, and the likes of Ruben Neves and Diogo Jota played crucial roles in the club’s success.

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Two young Portuguese prospects that didn’t arrive, however, were Goncalves and Carvalho.

Winger Goncalves, 21, played 11 times for the Benfica senior side last season, including four appearances in the Champions League - and both home and away fixtures against Manchester United.

Midfielder Carvalho, also 21, featured eight times as Benfica finished seven points behind champions Porto in the Portuguese Premier League.

Reports in Portugal are this week claiming that Aitor Karanka is closing in on a double swoop.

The Spaniard, who replaced Mark Warburton midway through last season, is planning on a squad overhaul this summer and kicked it off with the capture of the returning Michael Dawson this week.

Rumour mill

It’s been a busy week for Wolves.

Preparations for the forthcoming Premier League campaign are well and truly underway; they snapped up permanent deals for Benik Afobe and Willy Boly and also announced a friendly with Frank Lampard’s Derby County.

Not that the permanent captures of two of last season’s loanees will be the end of the club’s transfer business. Little chance of that.

The Molineux rumour mill has been in overdrive since Nuno Espirito Santo’s side sealed promotion. Some names have been far fetched, to say the least; others, however, appear very realistic.

The news that Sporting Lisbon goalkeeper Rui Patricio has requested that his contract be terminated amid interest from Wolves - and other factors including blackmail allegations against agent Jorge Mendes - is the latest in a saga that has seemingly rumbled on since the beginning of the off season.

What’s the latest elsewhere on the old gold gossip front?

JACK BUTLAND

With such interest in Patricio, it’s unlikely that Wolves would be pursuing England international Butland.

The former Birmingham City goalkeeper is almost certain to leave Stoke once he returns from the World Cup, and has been linked previously with Wolves and Liverpool, too.

Now, the Daily Mail claim that Chelsea could make an offer to the Potters.

It’s believed that the Blues have ended negotiations with stopper Thibaut Courtois over a new deal and the Belgian is likely to leave Stamford Bridge this summer.

Butland, who has been coy on his future, could command a fee of near £30m.

ANDREA PINAMONTI

Striker Andrea Pinamonti’s future at Inter Milan has been plunged into further doubt after it emerged he has joined super agent Mino Raiola’s stable.

Pinamonti has been linked with a move away from Inter since January and is expected to leave the Italian club this summer.

Wolves are said to be monitoring the 19-year-old’s situation, while Liverpool have also been credited with an interest.

He is seen as one of the hottest talents in Italian football at the moment with a prolific scoring record for Inter at youth levels.

Pinamonti’s decision to be represented by Raiola is significant because it comes just weeks after a proposed switch to Udinese fell through.

Raiola, who boasts Paul Pogba and Zlatan Ibrahimovic among his list of clients, is considered an active and efficient operator in the transfer market, which could boost the chance of a move ahead of the new season.

ANDERSON TALISCA

One-time Wolves target Anderson Talisca is bound for Roma, it appears.

The Brazilian play-maker has been linked with a move to Molineux for a couple of years now, though clubs among the biggest in England are also mentioned this summer.

Liverpool and Manchester United have been mentioned in the race for the 24-year-old, though he was expected to sign a permanent deal with loan club Besiktas.

Talisca scored 20 goals last season, and it appears he attracted interest from Serie A.

He was even quoted as saying recently: “I’ll continue my career in Italy.

“I’ve seen all the conditions for my transfer to Roma [to happen]. I spent two beautiful years here [Besiktas], but now it’s time to say goodbye.”

JOSEF DE SOUZA

Ever so close so a move to rivals West Bromwich Albion last summer, De Souza has since been linked with Wolves this window.

They don’t appear to be alone, however.

Reports in Turkey state that Premier League rivals West Ham are interested, as too are Ligue 1 heavyweights Marseille and Lyon.

Brazilian midfielder De Souza has one year left on his contract at Fenerbahce and could be on the move this summer after his dream switch to the Premier League last year was denied at the eleventh hour.

Rui 'resigns'

Rui Patricio has officially requested that his contract with Sporting Lisbon be terminated.

The 30-year-old goalkeeper, on his way to the World Cup with Portugal this month, has been at the centre of a saga that has rumbled on for the most part of the close season.

Wolverhampton Wanderers are said to have matched the bid of €18m that Serie A outfit Napoli offered Sporting for Patricio’s services, but a change in management at the Italian club which saw Carlo Ancelotti appointed in the place of Maurizio Sarri led to Napoli cooling their interest.

It’s left Wolves in the driving seat - that was before Sporting club president Bruno de Carvalho claimed in his press conference that super agent Jorge Mendes had ‘blackmailed’ the club and tried to manipulate negotiations.

“Jorge Mendes wanted to take advantage of the situation, which is a crime,” and added: “Sporting cannot be under fear, under blackmail or under threat.”

Mendes’ agency Gestifute denied those claims and insisted that Sporting were to pay up what they owed, particularly in the deal regarding Adrien Silva who moved to Leicester in January.

“It was Sporting who came to us and asked for help in finding a solution for Rui Patricio,” a spokesperson said.

“Gestifute was Sporting’s creditor but asked nothing of Sporting, at the same time they gave the guarantee they would settle old debts.”

Now Patricio, who has made more than 460 appearances for Sporting in 12 years, has penned a 34-page document outlining his intentions to have his contract with Sporting terminated.

In it, he wrote : "With all due respect for my colleagues who understand that they have the conditions to continue ... I understand that I do not have them and that I can not be required to maintain the contractual relationship, after all as described above.

"I have been subjected to psychological violence and physical violence."

Teammate William Carvalho is expected to follow suit.

It’s been a troubled season for Sporting; president Carvalho suspended almost the entire squad after their defeat to Atletico Madrid in the Europa League.

Then last month a group of intruders broke into the club’s training ground and attacked the players and coaching staff.

Wolves, who have already sewn up deals for Willy Boly, Benik Afobe and Diogo Jota, are likely to continue being busy in the weeks of the window to come.