Dongda He realises Premier League dream with Wolves
Chinese youngster Dongda He wanted to join Wolves to realise his Premier League dream, his ex-boss has stated.
Wolves snapped up the 17-year-old midfielder from Notts County late last week.
The teenager had impressed for the Magpies in pre-season and was on the bench for their opening league game of the season.
Kevin Nolan has bemoaned the loss of He but got the 'best deal for the club'. which his chairman Alan Hardy has stated is a 'lucrative deal which will only improve in time'.
Nolan told the Nottingham Post: "Ultimately as a youngster, you want to play at the top level. If they get that opportunity they are going to want to take it.
"The owners at Wolves wanted him and when they wanted somebody they get him.
"All we can do is scrap our way up there as quickly as possible so that we don’t lose our best young players. But if top clubs come calling this is what happens. Ultimately the kid wanted to go.
"It would have been nice to have had Dongda around because he is someone we thought could affect the first team.
"It’s just unfortunate we’ve lost him so early, but there was nothing we could do."
Southampton were also said to be interested in signing He, who had been at Meadow Lane since the age of 12.
Nolan added: “If we rejected the bid they would have taken us to a tribunal which is set at a number of years he has been with us.
“If it’s £100,000, £70,000, £50,000 - what ’s that to a Premier League club?
“We’ve got to get as much as possible. The boss (Hardy) worked tirelessly for the best deal for the club because we knew we were going to lose him.
“The boss did really well in getting the deal he did.”
Wolves have signed He on a scholarship.
They brought in a number of youngsters last week including Portuguese midfielder Joao Caiado and Norwegian U19 international John Kitolano.
Eighteen-year-old goalkeeper Jamie Pardington has joined from local non-league side Rushall Olympic until the end of the season and left-back Max Kilman moved from National League side Maidenhead United.
Danish centre half Alexander Molberg also joined on loan from Hobro IK until January after impressing during a trial.
A number of the new signings could be involved when Wolves Under-23s take on West Bromwich Albion at Telford on Friday night. Kick off is 7pm.
