Five foot seven and football heaven: Why Wolves and the Premier League need Joao Moutinho next season

He’s five foot seven, he’s football heaven and rather like a bottle of fine Vinho Verde, João Filipe Iria Santos Moutinho continues to age beautifully.

Moutinho is the midfield master, the old golden retriever of possession and a pure winner who takes defeats personally, whether it is fierce Premier League contests or a three-a-side at the Wolves training ground.

He will be 36 in September yet remains the standard bearer for all of the players at Wolves, producing arguably his best football this season since that £5 million move from Monaco in July 2018.

There is, however, a dark cloud on the horizon. Moutinho’s contract runs out at the end of this season, and he has never concealed his ambition to play his final years back at his beloved Porto.

Talks are not expected to start until the final weeks of the campaign and it will be a decision made by Moutinho and his family, head coach Bruno Lage and technical director Scott Sellars, with the input of agent Jorge Mendes.

Wolves and Lage do not want to lose him. Neither should the Premier League, which continues to attract the world’s best players.

Moutinho remains a joy to watch, highly admired by opponents, and perhaps English football does not appreciate him enough.

Maybe we will only fully appreciate that sublime technique and consistency when he’s gone.

On behalf of Wolves supporters and Lage, here is a simple plea: please sign a new contract, Joao. We all want you to stay.

“He’s very important and the way he plays and trains is the best we can have here,” says Lage.

“We have a young squad and when you have players who have played in different countries and for the national team like Joao, he is a great example of how a professional should be.

“I really don't know where