Wolves could be about to dip back into César Peixoto’s old club, with Gil Vicente defender Marvin Elimbi now firmly in the picture.
According to Record, the 23-year-old French centre-back is one of the players Peixoto wants to take with him to Molineux after the pair worked together in Portugal last season. There’s no indication of negotiations yet, but the newspaper say Elimbi is on Wolves’ shortlist for this summer.
The defender is under contract with Gil Vicente until 2028 and is currently valued at around €4m (£3.5m).
Peixoto knows exactly what he’d be getting
Marvin Elimbi wasn’t just a regular under Peixoto – he was one of the first names on the teamsheet.
The Frenchman made 28 league appearances last season and started every single one of them, establishing himself as one of the foundations of Gil Vicente’s defence.
| Portugal Liga 2025/26 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Appearances | 28 | |||
| Started | 28 | |||
| Minutes per game | 87 | |||
| Total minutes played | 2432 | |||
| Goals | 0 | |||
| Assists | 0 | |||
That previous relationship makes the link an easy one to understand. Peixoto has only just arrived at Wolves and it would be no surprise if he looked towards players who already know his methods and can adapt quickly.
A defender who likes to play on the front foot
Marvin Elimbi brings a nice mix of physicality and mobility. Standing at 1.86m, he’s strong in the air but also quick enough to defend aggressively.
Instead of sitting deep, he’s comfortable stepping out of the back line to win the ball in midfield and break up attacks before they become dangerous.
He’s also comfortable when his team have possession. Elimbi regularly moves out of his defensive zone to help start attacks from the back and has produced solid passing numbers to back that up.
The statistics reflect that style. Last season he averaged 5.3 clearances and 2.7 ball recoveries per game, numbers that underline just how involved he was throughout matches.
It’s still early days and Record do not suggest Wolves have made a move yet. But if Peixoto wants a centre-back who already understands his demands and proved dependable throughout last season, Elimbi looks like a very logical place to start.
