Wolves’ signing of Craig Dawson looks to have been something of a masterstroke in the short term, but the Englishman will soon turn 33, and he cannot be expected to be a long-term option in the heart of Julen Lopetegui’s defence.
Fortunately for the Spanish manager, academy talent Ollie Tipton looks to have all the attributes required to follow in the footsteps of Dawson at Molineux in the future.
How has Dawson played at Wolves?
Dawson made the move to Wolves from West Ham in the January transfer window, signing for the bargain fee of just £3.3m having established himself as a fan favourite during his time at the London Stadium.
He has gone on to make six appearances for the Old Gold in the Premier League, scoring in the 3-0 triumph over Liverpool and earning a strong 6.89 rating from WhoScored for his performances.
This ranks him as the second-best performer at Molineux behind Ruben Neves, so it is clear the impact he has had in Wolves’ battle against relegation, with Lopetegui’s side now looking far too good to go down.
However, Dawson cannot be relied upon to be a regular starter forever and while Max Kilman and summer signing Nathan Collins could step up as his replacement, Lopetegui could turn towards the academy for his next leader at the back.
Who is Wolves starlet Ollie Tipton?
The Molineux boss could find the ideal heir in Tipton, who has established himself as a regular in the Wolves U21 side, despite being just 19 years old.
The centre-back, who can also play in midfield, certainly seems to possess Dawson’s goalscoring knack from defence, as he boasts ten goals in just 47 appearances for the U18s.
The youngster became the captain of the U18s when he was just 17 and earned a huge amount of praise from Scott Sellars after signing his first professional deal in 2020.
The club’s former technical director said: “He’s very focused and has a very professional attitude for a young boy, who shows every day a real consistency in his work ethic and trying to improve.
“He’s been a captain a lot from a young age, and shows very good leadership skills, but he’s got an extremely focused mentality and is a young man who is really keen to progress and learn.”
This season has seen Tipton make 18 appearances in the Premier League 2, contributing two goals and one assist, so he definitely seems ready for his first taste of senior football in the 2022/23 campaign, whether that be at Wolves or out on loan.
If he can bring his leadership skills into the first team, as well as his clear skill for scoring goals, there seems no reason why he couldn’t be the long-term heir to Dawson in Lopetegui’s side.
