Nathan Collins has just become the most expensive Irish football player of all time after earning a £20.5 million move.
After breaking through into Burnleys first team in the last season, Collins caught the eye of many Premier League clubs.
His form in the 18 Premier League fixtures he started resembles that of Harry Maguire, which persuaded Manchester United to spend £80 million on the ex-Leicester City defender.
Both players share similarities, boasting a towering presence, a leadership role in the back line, and a tendency to carry the ball up the pitch.
Wolverhampton Wanderers have just lost Romain Saïss, a regular starter for Wolves since 2016.
Nathan Collins is expected to come into the side on the back three, with Max Kilman moving over to the left side.
Last season, Wolves maintained the fifth-best defensive record, with only Tottenham, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City conceding fewer goals than them.
This is an impressive record, and Collins will be joining a very good defensive side, well-managed by Bruno Lage.
This scout report and tactical analysis will display Nathan Collins style of play, attributes and what we can expect from him.
This analysis will explore how he will fit into Wolves side and adapt to Bruno Lages tactics.
Nathan Collins Style of Play
Nathan Collins is a central defender and 62 33 inches tall.
A man mountain in defence, the 21-year-old thrives in aerial duels thanks to his big frame and is strong in tackles.
His long legs help him to take significant strides while dribbling, allowing him to carry the ball up the pitch over large distances with seemingly little effort.
Collins also likes to pass the ball, often looking to help retain possession even though the team he played for, Burnley, were suited for a more direct style of play.
Collins is also intelligent and able to sense danger, positioning himself in the correct place to prevent goals through both blocks and interceptions.
Having only turned 21 recently, Nathan Collins has a long future ahead of him in the Premier League, and if he can build on his performances for his club, he will for sure become a regular in the Premier League with hundreds of appearances in the competition.
Nathan Collins Defensive Ability
First and foremost, the Burnley centre-back is a strong defender, especially when defending on the back foot and against teams who sustain pressure.
Collins has a remarkable ability to position both his feet and his body in the optimal way to close the space where the opposition can attack and clear the ball away from the box.
He is skilled at reading the play, which allows him to intercept both through balls and crosses before they reach the forward players.
The image below shows how the 21-year-old has identified that the cross is about to come in and, therefore, sprints into the space where he can clear the ball away,
The image below further displays Nathan Collins ability to position his body in a way that allows him to recover and make up for the space in the six-yard box.
Being able to quickly identify where the danger is allows Collins to get into a position where he can easily clear the ball.
At the same time, other defenders may
