Wolverhampton Wanderers have struggled to start the season, with only four points from their first six games, raising fears of relegation.

While numerous changes in their managerial staff have contributed to their situation at the bottom of the Premier League table, the Financial Fair Play (FFP) limits imposed on the club this summer have been the most severe punishment.

To comply with FFP and free up finances, Wolves reluctantly sold two of its stars, Matheus Nunes to Manchester City for £53 million and Ruben Neves to Saudi Arabian club Al Hilal for £47 million.

That duo was important at the club and demonstrated the club’s savvy and precise commercial practices in recent years. Fabio Silva, on the other hand, is a prime illustration of Wolves’ continual misjudgment and poor transfer market decisions.

How much did Wolves pay for Fabio Silva?

Signed in the summer of 2020 for a club record fee of £35.6m from Porto, Fabio Silva arrived as a wonderkid teen, lauded by some as the next Ronaldo, and expected to become the future heir to Raul Jimenez.

With the weight of expectation hanging heavily on his shoulders, Silva has become one of many young players who buckle under pressure when comparisons to probably the greatest Portuguese player of all time were made.

Silva has failed to leave his imprint at Molineux in three years, contributing 11 goals in 68 appearances, with the 21-year-old trying to live up to the fanfare that his formative years promised.

Having joined as a brilliant prospect, having played on the European arena for Porto at the age of 17, the 6 foot 1 attacker has fallen victim to past adulation, as illustrated by words from Portuguese teammate Bruno Fernandes, who once claimed.

“When Ronaldo was 17, he played for Sporting’s youth teams as a center-forward. I saw him perform things that I’m currently witnessing an FC Porto player do, Fabio Silva. He’ll be an exceptional striker in no time.”

Being compared to the five-time Ballon d’Or winner has only exacerbated his troubles in the Midlands, but coming to life in his two loan spells away from the club last season may have given Wolves optimism that the best is yet to come from the teenager.

In 32 appearances for Anderlecht, he scored 15 goals, while at PSV Eindhoven, he scored five goals in 19 matches.

How much does Fabio Silva earn?

Picking up a weekly wage of £80k, Silva is remarkably the club’s second-highest earner behind Pablo Sarabia, highlighting how Wolves have burned transfer fees and wages on players who have significantly underperformed.

Despite showing potential while on loan, the Portuguese has reverted to his old ways, averaging a terrible Sofascore rating of 6.64 at the start of this Premier League season, having started three times and failing to score.

It’s difficult to pinpoint the cause of the forward’s difficulties, but since Wolves pay him £4.1 million a year, he should be providing better results than what they’re getting from him.

To put his horrific stint in context, he has cost the club a total of £43.8m in three years, including the initial transfer fee and wage spending (excluding wages paid by PSV and Anderlecht).

During that time, every goal Silva has scored so far – all five of them – has cost the Old Gold a whopping £8.7m per strike. Damning indeed.