The Wolves squad for the 2024/25 season has largely taken form, as Gary O’Neil’s aspect intention to enhance on final time period’s 14th-placed Premier League end.
Wolves posted their lowest end since promotion final time period, and though they reached the FA Cup quarter-finals, defeat to Coventry successfully ended their season.
They’ve beforehand labelled themselves a ‘challenger membership’ and can do properly to get close to the European positions. Two strikers are a should and gamers purchased within the £5m-15m bracket have usually served Wolves properly not too long ago.Â
The early summer season additions of Rodrigo Gomes (winger, Braga) and Brazil youth worldwide Pedro Lima (right-back, Recife) have already seen them delve into that space once more and excited followers, who’re determined to maintain Rayan Ait Nouri, Joao Gomes and Matheus Cunha. The sale of Pedro Neto will have to be addressed sooner somewhat than later, nonetheless.
Additionally, strikers are important. It’s a part of a wider situation about squad measurement, however Wolves left themselves ridiculously gentle. Gary O’Neil didn’t fancy Fabio Silva or Sasa Kalajdzic, and earlier than each departed on mortgage he most well-liked to choose different gamers out of place.
They haven’t had any success with No.9s since signing Raul Jimenez in 2019, and it’s a credit score to O’Neil that they scored as many as they did with restricted attacking choices. Nearly a dozen youngsters had been drafted in to plug the gaps, but they weren’t prepared for the rigours of high-pressure soccer.
Chiquinho and Yerson Mosquera might be given an opportunity in pre-season, however there need to be considerably extra ins than outs.
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Wolves squad for 2024/25
Wolves squad for 2024/25: Gary O’Neil’s full workforce
GK: Jose Sa
GK: Dan Bentley
GK: Tom King
DF: Matt Doherty
DF: Rayan Ait-Nouri
DF: Santiago Bueno
DF: Yerson Mosquera
DF: Craig Dawson
DF: Hugo Bueno
DF: Nelson Semedo
DF: Toti
DF: Pedro Lima
MF: Mario Lemina
MF: Boubacar Traore
MF: Joao Gomes
MF: Tommy Doyle
MF: Luke Cundle
FW: Jorgen Strand Larsen
FW: Daniel Podence
FW: Hwang Hee-chan
FW: Matheus Cunha
FW: Sasa Kalajdzic
FW: Rodrigo Gomes
FW: Pablo Sarabia
FW: Jean-Ricner Bellegarde
FW: Tawana Chirewa
FW: Goncalo Guedes
FW: Enso Gonzalez
FW: Chiquinho
FW: Nathan Fraser
Wolves squad numbers for 2024/25
Swipe to scroll horizontally
No.
Participant
Place
1
Jose Sa
GK
2
Matt Doherty
DF
3
Rayan Ait-Nouri
DF
4
Santiago Bueno
DF
5
Mario Lemina
MF
6
Boubacar Traore
MF
8
Joao Gomes
MF
9
Jorgen Strand Larsen
FW
10
Daniel Podence
FW
11
Hwang Hee-chan
FW
12
Matheus Cunha
FW
14
Yerson Mosquera
DF
15
Craig Dawson
DF
17
Hugo Bueno
DF
18
Sasa Kalajdzic
FW
19
Rodrigo Gomes
FW
20
Tommy Doyle
MF
21
Pablo Sarabia
FW
22
Nelso Semedo
DF
24
Toti
DF
25
Dan Bentley
GK
27
Jean-Ricner Bellegarde
FW
28
Tawanda Chirewa
FW
29
Goncalo Guedes
FW
30
Enso Gonzalez
FW
34
Luke Cundle
MF
36
Chiquinho
FW
37
Pedro Lima
DF
40
Tom King
GK
63
Nathan Fraser
FW
Wolves supervisor
Gary O’Neil
Gary O’Neil (Picture credit score: Alamy)
Regardless of profitable simply one of many remaining 11 video games of final season, Gary O’Neil surpassed all expectations after arriving on the eleventh hour. Beating Manchester Metropolis in addition to doubles in opposition to Chelsea and Tottenham had been highlights, not forgetting an historic FA Cup win at arch-rivals West Brom. Hypothesis steered he may depart this summer season, however that has gone.
For all the aptitude gamers within the squad, Craig Dawson was sorely missed by followers and teammates whereas out injured for the final month of the 2023/24 marketing campaign. Steady on the again and a objective menace on the different finish, the veteran centre-half is solely indispensable.Â
One to observe
Pedro Lima
Pedro Lima (Picture credit score: Alamy)
Signed from Brazilian aspect Recife, the 18-year-old attacking right-back was not too long ago linked to Chelsea and Manchester Metropolis earlier than Wolves ‘fought them off’ in traditional switch vogue. It stays to be seen if he’ll be loaned out, however YouTube (as ever) suggests there’s a lot to be enthused about.
The temper
It is not nice, to be sincere. Followers had been hit by enormous season ticket worth hikes, with 10% deciding in opposition to renewing their seats. Continued rumours about homeowners Fosun searching for exterior funds or a full sale aren’t being dismissed, so folks aren’t fairly positive what comes subsequent. On-field funding will quieten down the boo boys, however will it’s sufficient to maneuver the membership and workforce on?
Almost certainly to…
Give Molineux a facelift. One other frustration for followers has been a scarcity of care given to their much-loved house, which has appeared noticeably drained lately. The statue of legend Billy Wright loved a touch-up firstly of the summer season and supporters have campaigned for a stadium-wide spruce. Proper then, what RAL is ‘outdated gold’?
Least more likely to…
Promote Fabio Silva. Over a number of switch home windows, it’s been hoped Wolves would discover a purchaser for the £35m signing, but it surely’s didn’t materialise. The Portuguese nonetheless has two years to run on his deal, so the ache and drain on sources may not be over but.
View from the stands
Final season was stuffed with adversity, with Julen Lopetegui leaving on the eve of the marketing campaign earlier than a failure to again Gary O’Neil in January value us an FA Cup semi-final at Wembley.
The massive speaking level is VAR getting the thumbs up from the opposite 19 groups within the league. That they had the possibility to make optimistic change and bottled it.
This season might be completely different as a result of we’ll have a full pre-season below O’Neil. Between October and January, we noticed the foundations of a top-10 Premier League aspect.
I gained’t be completely happy until we signal 4 or 5 high quality gamers. We’ve hamstrung ourselves ever since getting promoted by constructing small squads that run out of steam come March.
Our key participant might be Matheus Cunha – a category act who we desperately miss when he’s out. He helps us to transition at tempo on the break together with his skill to run with the ball.
Our most underrated participant is Joao Gomes – not essentially by Wolves followers, however these of different groups who don’t realise how good he really is.
Look out for Wesley Okoduwa. He constantly made the bench within the later phases of final season at solely 15 years outdated. An England youth worldwide with a giant future.
The opposition participant I might love right here is Rodri – merely the very best participant within the league.
The opposition participant who grinds my gears is John McGinn, who spends extra time on the ground rolling round than on his ft.
The energetic participant I might like to have again is Diogo Jota, in a heartbeat. My favorite participant of the Fosun period by a long way.
The participant I might fortunately drive to a different membership is Fabio Silva – he’d wrestle to get a recreation for Wombourne Wanderers within the Kidderminster League.
The pantomime villain might be Morgan Gibbs-White. He doesn’t like us and we don’t notably like him both.
The factor my membership actually will get proper is the incredible work the Wolves Basis does for the neighborhood.
The one change I might make can be to nuke the Steve Bull Stand, rebuild it, then smarten the entire place up with a lick of paint.
Our season ticket costs are scandalous.
I am least wanting ahead to enjoying Manchester Metropolis on the Etihad – we’ve been met with two Erling Haaland hat-tricks on our final two visits.
The followers’ opinion of the gaffer is actually optimistic. O’Neil has credit score within the financial institution after retaining us up final season and earned the suitable to have a very good go at cracking the highest 10 this time period.
If he left, he must be changed by Kieron McKenna or Mark Robins, as they really feel considerably real looking. Don’t be shocked to see Rob Edwards approached if O’Neil left.
