Wolverhampton Wanderers Recruitment Plan – Summer 2024

Wolverhampton

Wanderers

Recruitment Plan

– Summer 2024

Ethan Diggory - @scoutingww

Introduction

Introduction

Welcome to a large analytics piece which will review the Wolves squad from the 2023/24 season using

data. I will analyse the current level of first team players and those out on loan to recommend where

their future lies at Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Following this review, I will highlight possible transfer targets to aim towards acquiring in the summer

transfer window. These targets will be those that I believe are realistic in both transfer and wage budget

and at a suitable level for Wolves’ stature in the game. Those that do not make the immediate target

shortlist will be added in the long list should the main options be unavailable.

For a bit of background on myself, I have just finished my first year at the University of Derby studying

Performance Analysis and Coaching Science as I aim to land a role in football as an analyst at the end of

my degree. This piece will help towards my portfolio as an analyst so if you do enjoy this piece, be sure

to follow my personal Twitter @DiggoryEthan and my football scouting-based Instagram account

@scoutingww as well as sharing this piece on social media.

Many thanks and without further ado, let’s start with a basic analysis of the current Wolves first team and

their contract situations going into the 2024/25 season.

Squad Age | Minutes Analysis

• Correlation between age and minutes played

in the Wolves squad this season

• Average age of the first team this season was

26.1 which places them 12th in the Premier

League for youngest squad

• Concerningly small first team with only 22

players playing at least 90 minutes this

season

• A core group of 10 players with above 2000

minutes as important players for the club

• Very limited minutes to players in the “Youth”

age bracket – something to improve in the

24/25 season

• On the opposite side, a key group of

“Experienced” players playing a lot of

minutes – namely Doherty, Sarabia, Sá and

Dawson

Squad Depth 24/25

Player Name (Contract Expiry) | Over One Year Left | Less Th

One Year Left | Loan Departing | Loan Returning

Position Youth (U23) Peak (24-30) Experienced (31+)

Goalkeeper

s

Defenders Rayan Aït-Nouri (2026)

Hugo Bueno (2028)

Ki-Jana Hoever (2026)

Dexter Lembikisa (2026)

Yerson Mosquera (2026)

Nigel Lonwijk (2025)

Midfielders Boubacar Traoré (2027)

João Gomes (2028)

Tommy Doyle (2028)

Luke Cundle (2026)

Joe Hodge (2027)

Forwards Noha Lemina (2024)

Enso González (2029)

Nathan Fraser (2025)

Leon Chiwome (Unknown)

Fábio Silva (2026)

Daniel Bentley (2025)

Tom King (2027)

Max Kilman (2028)

Toti Gomes (2029)

Santiago Bueno (2028)

Nélson Semedo (2025)

Bendegúz Bolla (2026)

Mario Lemina (2025)

Jean-Ricner Bellegarde (2028)

Pedro Neto (2027)

Matheus Cunha (2027)

Hee-Chan Hwang (2028)

Chiquinho (2026)

Gonçalo Guedes (2027)

Sasa Kalajdzic (2027)

Daniel Podence (2025)

José Sá (2027)

Craig Dawson (2025)

Matt Doherty (2026)

Pablo Sarabia (2025)

First Team

Squad

Tactical Outline

At a basic level, Wolves have mainly operated in a 3-4-

2-1 formation this season. To best recreate this tactic

accurately using the excellent FB Charts templates

found at https://fbcharts.com, Gary O’Neil’s system

has been slightly simplified to allow for the best

evaluation of each player and their role.

Following a tactical analysis of Wolves from the

2023/24 season, I have identified the following roles

presented on the left.

However, Gary O’Neil may opt to switch to a 4-2-3-1 as

he had done in some games last season which would

swap out the central defender for an advanced

playmaker in the AM slot.

These templates will allow for the most accurate

representation of the players and give them a fair

overview of their data in comparison to other players

in similar positions.

Let's evaluate how each player has done this season on

the following slides.

Sweeper Keeper –

José Sá

I think it is fair to say that Sá is quite a divisive player amongst

Wolves fans and one whose quality is quite often outshone by easily

preventable errors. That being said, I think that his goalkeeping has

returned to the heights that it was under Bruno Lage during the

2021/22 season.

Demonstrating this point is Sá’s excellent percentiles for PSxG-GA

(82 nd ) and PSxG/SoT (80 th ), showing that he is a reliable shot

stopper and prevents many goals from going in which an average

goalkeeper might concede.

Regarding Gary O’Neil’s system, it is quite evident that Sá is

required to be comfortable playing out from the back and not

remain committed to staying in the box when in possession.

Therefore, Sá’s low percentiles for defensive actions outside of the

box along with his distribution metrics being unfavourable for a

sweeper keeper need improvement.

My Verdict – Sá is a very good shot stopper and that should not be

compromised however I do feel that his distribution isn’t good

enough and will be difficult to coach out of him. Therefore, if a

sensible bid for Sá was to come in, especially with the links to Saudi

Arabia, I would replace him with a more competent distributor.

However, I don’t feel as though he should be actively tried to be

moved on this summer.

Sweeper Keeper –

Daniel Bentley

Since signing in January of 2023, Wolves fans haven’t seen much

of Daniel Bentley bar the odd cameo here and there in the

league. When he has played, he has looked alright, not

excellent but not terrible either.

Similar to Sá, Bentley has exceptionally good shot-stopping

numbers, even breaking into the 90 th percentile for PSxG-GA.

However, this should be viewed with caution as he has played

very limited minutes and therefore this value is highly inflated.

I think it would be unfair to judge how Bentley fits into O’Neil’s

system as he has barley played in it. Although, it could be

assumed that it would be very similar to Sá as their percentiles

are nearly identical.

Subsequently, the areas of improvement would be the same

with his distribution being below the level that O’Neil would

like it to be for his tactics.

My Verdict – Bentley should be looked to move on with his

contract expiring in 2025. A move down to the EFL is needed as

a back-up or starter for him and any fee should be accepted

instead of losing him on a free transfer.

Central Defender –

Santiago Bueno

Santiago Bueno has received very limited minutes by Gary

O’Neil this past season although I feel that when he has played,

he has looked promising. However, I don’t think he has been

outstanding although many signings struggle to adapt in their

first Premier League season which I feel is the case with Bueno.

As presumably the long-term replacement for Craig Dawson,

his defensive metrics have been very good including his

outstanding number of passes blocked which is in the 98 th

percentile. Also, he has looked comfortable on the ball when

required with Bueno’s 88 th percentile for medium length pass

completion.

When he has been given gametime, he has almost exclusively

operated as the central defender within O’Neil’s system which

is also where Craig Dawson has played.

Consequently, having the role as a central defender and being

the team’s main defensive player in Wolves’ back three, his

defensive numbers do need improvement. Bueno’s duel-related

metrics are terrible and should improve with a good preseason.

My Verdict – Obviously, Santiago Bueno will be kept next

season and rightfully so. As previously suggested, many players

struggle in their first season in the Premier League and

hopefully we see an improvement from him soon.


Craig Dawson

Similar to West Ham fans before us, I think it would be an

understatement to suggest that Wolves fans like Craig Dawson. In

my eyes, Dawson is the embodiment of a “true” English defender

and has been a relative bargain since signing in January 2023.

Further proving my point of being a typical English centre-back,

Dawson’s percentiles for blocks, clearances and duels are really

impressive and prove how vital he has been to the Wolves defence.

As previously referred to, Craig Dawson has been best utilised by

O’Neil as a central defender in a back three, allowing the two

outside centre-backs to progress the ball forwards in addition to

helping out defensively.

Dawson doesn’t really have any clear areas to focus on improving

bar completing more of his short passes and reducing the amount

of errors he makes when in possession. Also, he could do with

improving his number of tackles and interceptions although his low

percentile of 15 could suggest he doesn’t have to make many due

to the defending done further up the pitch.

My Verdict – Without doubt, I feel as though Craig Dawson should

be offered at least a one-year extension on his current deal which is

due to expire in 2025. However, due to his age I feel as though

signing a much younger long-term replacement should be

prioritised to allow Santiago Bueno to be cover for the other centrebacks

in the short-term.

Ball Playing Defender

– Toti Gomes

Toti Gomes’ rise to the first team over recent seasons has been

a joy to watch and is testament to the work of the recruitment

department to find a talent like him. Toti’s physique is

extraordinary and is a strong defender when asked of him.

Whilst Toti doesn’t have any outstanding percentiles, I feel as

though he is a reliable centre-back when needed. His

defending numbers are all good and he is above average in

possession.

Gary O’Neil has almost always played Toti as the left-sided

centre-back in the back three with a similar role to Max Kilman.

However, due to the limitations of the FB Charts templates, Toti

Gomes plays more as a wide centre-back, with him moving to

left-back in possession to allow Aït-Nouri to move further up

the pitch.

Therefore, his ball progression numbers could do with

improving on the whole however due to his unique role, it isn’t

devastatingly bad that his percentiles are that low. It is merely

because out of the templates available, he is closest to a ball

playing defender.

My Verdict – Toti Gomes has been pretty reliable in the back

three for Wolves and I feel as though, especially since

committing to a long-term contract, it makes sense to continue

with Toti Gomes as the left-sided centre-back.


– Max Kilman

Similar to Sá, Max Kilman tends to split opinions amongst Wolves

fans, myself included. There is no question that his on-the-ball

ability is second to none however his defending is much less

revered. It may be selective attention, but it does seem as though

most of the goals conceded last season were either Sá’s or Kilman’s

fault or both.

That being said, the radar chart on the left does appear to show that

Kilman has excellent defensive percentiles especially aerials won

(95 th ) and dribblers tackled (89 th ). As well as this, being in the 90 th

percentile for touches in the defensive third shows how often

Kilman is on the ball.

Max Kilman’s role in Gary O’Neil’s 3-4-2-1 is the perfect

demonstration of a ball playing defender. He is the key player for

Wolves in the build-up phases when looking to start attacks and

although shares some defensive responsibility, it isn’t as significant

as the player in the centre of the back three.

Strangely, it is actually Kilman’s ball progression that is need of

most improvement. Most of those metrics are ranked as around

average and to be a key ball playing defender, these need instant

improvement.

My Verdict – After debating this for some time, I feel it is best to

look to move Kilman on this summer whilst his value is still high.

Anything close to the £35 million Napoli were prepared to offer

previously should be accepted but anything less should not be

tolerated especially with the length of his contract left.

Attacking Full Back –

Hugo Bueno

Since breaking into the first-team under Steve Davies, Hugo

Bueno has looked a really promising wingback with potential to

overtake Rayan Aït-Nouri as a starter in the future. However, in

my opinion, I feel as though Bueno still has a lot of room to grow

before being a consistent starter for Wolves.

This isn't to say that he is a bad player though, as his high

percentile for crosses into the penalty area in the 93 rd

demonstrates that he is a reliable outlet for getting the ball into

the box. He also has completed many successful take-ons which

has placed him in the 65 th percentile.

In terms of how Hugo Bueno fits into Gary O’Neil’s system as

predominantly the left wingback, it can be assumed that he will

be asked to get forward wherever possible and provide a threat

in the opposition’s third.

That being said, Bueno’s low defensive percentiles aren’t

crucial to his role whereas he does need to improve his low

amount of carries into the final third (22 nd ) and could improve

his shot-creating actions (53 rd ).

My Verdict – I was debating whether to loan Hugo Bueno out for

next season however I feel that with a good pre-season under

O’Neil he will be a decent backup option to have.


Matt Doherty

When it was announced that Matt Doherty had returned to the

club, I think that the only people who were truly excited were

the older generation of the fanbase. Whilst I don’t think he had

been woeful for Wolves last season; it is also fair to say he is far

from his peak in the Old Gold.

As most would fans would expect, the main strength of

Doherty’s game is his aerial ability which is demonstrated by

his high percentile in the 80 th for percentage of aerials won.

Most of Matt Doherty’s appearances this season when coming

off the bench have been aimed at getting Wolves back into

games with mixed levels of success. However, when starting as

the right wingback he has been expected to be able to create

chances and carry the ball well into the final third.

Quite clearly shown by the radar on the left, Doherty has been

extremely poor at achieving these expectations and would

need to really improve this area of his game if he was to stake a

claim to start ahead of Semedo.

My Verdict – Unfortunately, Matt Doherty’s return to Wolves has

been underwhelming to say the least and if it wasn’t for him

signing a 3-year deal, I would look to sell him. I just feel that

with his wage demands and contract length there would not be

a suitable buyer and therefore Doherty should remain as a

backup option of the bench if needed.


Rayan Aït-Nouri

I don’t think I can put into words here just how good Rayan Aït-

Nouri was in a Wolves shirt last season. It seemed as though every

time he touched the ball you could just tell he was a level above his

opponents on the pitch. I was initially excited when he first joined

in 2020 and I'm glad to see that he has flourished in the past few

seasons.

The most exciting and impressive part of Aït-Nouri’s game is his

ability to take on his man. When you are as technically gifted as he

is, it is no surprise that you are in the 98 th percentile for successful

take-ons. He also carries the ball well and creates many shots

through his actions with both being in the 71 st percentile.

As alluded to with Hugo Bueno, Rayan Aït-Nouri plays as almost a

winger in possession with him bombing forward whenever he can.

This works well within the whole system with Toti moving to leftback

and the left winger (often Hwang) cutting inside.

There is very little in the way of improvement for Aït-Nouri in my

opinion although if I was being overly critical, he could improve on

his defensive numbers when Wolves are being countered.

My Verdict – Quite obviously, I would be keeping Rayan Aït-Nouri

for as long as possible. However, with already rumoured interest

and his ceiling being very high, I think it would be wise to source a

replacement for the eventuality that he does leave in the summer.


Nélson Semedo

Although it has taken a while, Nélson Semedo has finally started

to bear fruit for Wolves and return on the investment made on

him in the summer of 2020. The season just gone has shown just

how underrated by general football fans, and even some

Wolves fans as well, Semedo is due to his time at Barcelona.

His carrying numbers from 2023/24 have been phenomenal,

with an impressive ranking in the 91 st percentile for successful

take-ons. His other carrying numbers are all decent as well

with them all above the 6oth percentile.

Similar to Rayan Aït-Nouri, Nélson Semedo is expected to get

forward and create chances in the final third however he is also

more relied upon to help out defensively as well.

Therefore, it is fair to say that his defensive numbers are subpar

and need to be improved, specifically his number of

tackles and interceptions from the 59 th percentile and

percentage of dribblers tackled which lies in the 46 th

percentile.

My Verdict – Semedo had played a large amount of minutes last

season and subsequently it is no surprise that Nélson Semedo

should be kept on for this season. With his contract expiring at

the end of the 2024/25 season, he should be given a maximum

of a 2-year extension due to his age.

Defensive Midfielder

– Boubacar Traoré

I am absolutely gutted that Boubacar Traoré had only started to

make his mark under Gary O’Neil towards the end of the season.

Since he signed initially on loan from Metz, it was obvious he was a

terrific talent despite still being quite raw. However, I feel that

Traoré has really developed into a decent Premier League

midfielder over last season.

As is quite apparent from the radar chart to the left, Boubacar

Traoré’s tackling is beyond outstanding for a defensive midfielder

with his tackles (both in the defensive and midfield third) being in

the 98 th and 99 th percentiles respectfully. It should also be noted

that he makes few errors with those being in the 73 rd percentile.

As you will see on the next page, Traoré’s role is nearly identical to

that of João Gomes where the main responsibility is to be a

defensive midfielder and shield the back three. The aim is to win

possession before the opposition engages with the Wolves back

three.

Because of this, I feel as though the main improvement for

Boubacar Traoré would be to increase the number of interceptions

from the 13 th percentile as most of the other metrics aren’t as

relevant to his role.

My Verdict – It is no question that Traoré should be kept on next

season and be the understudy to João Gomes due to the clear

similarity in their role. I do hope that he does earn more minutes

than he was given last season so that he can truly begin to show just

how good he could be.


– João Gomes

It is no secret that every Wolves fan absolutely adores João Gomes,

both because of the way in which he signed and his overall

personality. Despite only being with the club for a season and a

half, the amount that Gomes has grown even in that time is

astonishing.

João Gomes is mainly known as being excellent at one thing: his

sheer amount of tackles attempted. This is evidently shown through

his 99 th percentiles for tackles and those attempted in the defensive

third. Equally, his 95 th percentile ranking for those attempted in the

midfield third is very impressive.

As previously mentioned, Gomes’ role is best described by his

nickname as the “Pitbull”. His task is to win the ball back from the

opposition by any means necessary and he performs that with

great success.

Similarly to Traoré, João Gomes’ interceptions could do with

improving form his current ranking in the 16 th percentile. However,

unlike Traoré, he does make quite a few errors in possession which

ranks him as 11 th for this metric.

My Verdict – Perhaps one of the clearest decisions in this

recruitment plan, it is no surprise that João Gomes should be kept

for this season. However, he is destined for the very top of the game

and I don’t think he will stay beyond this season. Still, I feel that he

will stay for this season and others should be sold ahead of him to

generate funds.


– Mario Lemina

There are very few players who have worn a Wolves shirt that I have

judged as wrong as Mario Lemina. When he first signed in the

flurry of signings to try and keep us afloat, I was more than

concerned and didn’t think he would be anywhere near as

influential as he has been. Lemina is unreal and one of the best

current players we have at the club in my opinion and long may it

continue.

Mario Lemina was excellent last season and his all-round approach

to being a defensive midfielder has been immense. In possession,

he makes few errors and completes a good number of passes.

Defensively, he makes a lot of interceptions and clears the ball well.

Finally, his tackling is strong with him being in the 88 th percentile

for those in the defensive third.

Lemina’s role under Gary O’Neil has been slightly different from

that of those previously mentioned. He still has the same defensive

responsibilities as the others however he has been allowed more

room to get forward and dictate the play.

I genuinely don’t think much of his game needs improving with my

only suggestion being to make more tackles in the midfield third.

My Verdict – Without doubt Mario Lemina should be a key player

for this Wolves side again this season and should have his contract

extended from when it is due to expire in 2025. Once again, due to

his age, I would offer a 2-year extension.

Deep Lying Playmaker –

Tommy Doyle

I will be completely honest, I had very little idea of what to expect

from Tommy Doyle when he arrived from Manchester City on loan

last summer. Now though, I think it is pretty clear what my opinion

on him is. Doyle has been a revelation for this Wolves side and the

reported £4.3 million deal for him is one of the biggest bargains of

the last season.

In possession, he is unbelievably good with a high percentile

ranking for possession-based metrics of an average rank in the 86 th

percentile. His playmaking has also been impressive with

exceptional distance of progressive passes and number of passes

into the final third. Although not required much from him, he has

also been outstanding when tackling as well, with him ranked in the

93 rd percentile for percentage of dribblers tackled.

Tommy Doyle’s role, as shown by the template, has been different

from that of the other DMs. He has operated as a deep lying

playmaker and has shown glimpses of former Wolves hero Rúben

Neves in his game.

If I am being extremely critical of Doyle, his pass completion does

need improving however that is a minor complaint to what was a

terrific season from him.

My Verdict – It is rather apparent that Tommy Doyle should be

playing for Wolves this season, and I would even argue that he

should be starting a lot more games than he did last season. I’m

looking forward to seeing how he develops and hopefully become

a fan favourite.

Advanced Playmaker –

Jean-Ricner Bellegarde

I think the word that would best describe Jean-Ricner Bellegarde’s

first season at Wolves is disappointing. Being the “marquee”

signing to replace Matheus Nunes, when I first checked his data, he

looked like the perfect replacement. However, a mix of injuries and

being shoe-horned into areas he can’t play have led to a campaign

to forget.

One of the very few positives from Bellegarde last season was a

decent percentile for progressive passes (64 th ) and goal-creating

actions (54 th ).

The best description of Jean-Ricner Bellegarde’s role for Wolves

would probably be as an advanced playmaker and should Wolves

switch to a 4-2-3-1 this season, he would presumably be the central

player in that unit of three.

It is quite clear that Bellegarde needs to improve most of his game

as shown by the radar on the left. However, I don’t blame

Bellegarde for this as he hasn’t played in his main position that he is

comfortable in.

My Verdict – I really think that you would struggle to find a buyer so

soon after his signing for Wolves and therefore he will most likely

be kept for this season. I hope he proves next season that he can be

the player that was there in Strasbourg and a change in system

would suit him. Also, as previously mentioned, many players

struggle in their first Premier League season and I hope that

another season in England will be beneficial to Jean-Ricner

Bellegarde.

Advanced Playmaker

– Pablo Sarabia

At the start of last season, I was more or less expecting Pablo

Sarabia to be moved on from Wolves despite only signing in

January 2023. I am so glad that he wasn’t because last season

Sarabia showed why he both should start for Wolves and is the

highest earner at the club. Initially starting as effectively a bench

warmer, following the injury to Pedro Neto he has been a player

transformed.

An average percentile rank of 85 for playmaking, this is the

strongest attribute of Pablo Sarabia’s game. In addition to this,

being in the 91 st percentile for assists is truly impressive and shows

just how good of a chance creator Sarabia was last season.

As mentioned just, he mainly filled in as a replacement for Pedro

Neto when he was on the sidelines which deployed him as more of

a winger within Gary O’Neil’s 3-4-2-1. However, this was changed to

allow him to be more creative centrally as an advanced playmaker.

For 2024/25, I would expect him to be a rotation on the wing but the

regular starter as the central AM in a 4-2-3-1 if that is the system

used.

Pablo Sarabia has very little to improve for his role other than

taking more touches in the attacking third which I feel would come

with a change to a 4-2-3-1.

My Verdict – Sarabia should be kept for this season and with his

contract expiring in 2025, he should be offered an extension. Unlike

the others though, I would offer just a 1-year extension as he is

older and our highest earner which would be easier to move on if

needed.

Winger – Pedro Neto

Last season was the make-or-break year for Pedro Neto and

anything other than a successful season would be considered as a

failure amongst Wolves fans. It started off brilliantly and I am so

glad that he has shown the quality that was always there. However,

disappointingly he has only shown his quality when available and

not injured.

When he has been fit though, it is fair to say he has been one of the

best wingers in the league. Neto’s assists being in the 99 th

percentile is out of this world along with his crosses into the penalty

area being high as well (93 rd ). His carrying has been sensational as

well with an average of 92 nd for his carrying percentiles.

When playing as the right sided winger in Gary O’Neil’s 3-4-2-1, his

role is best described as a typical winger. Running down the wing

and getting good quality crosses into the box, Pedro Neto had

excelled at that last season. Hence, he scores very highly on the

winger template from FB Charts.

Very little needs improving from Neto this season and the only

slight criticism when he is playing would be to improve his passes

into the penalty area in order to generate even more chances for

Wolves.

My Verdict – Pedro Neto has been a wonderful player and servant

for Wolves during his time at the club however I feel that it would

be wise to cash in whilst we have the chance. Realistically, we

should be looking to get at least around £50 million for him

however his chance of moving on could be damaged by his

abysmal injury record.

Inside Forward – Hee-

Chan Hwang

I think if there was to be an award for the most improved player in

this Wolves squad, then Hee-Chan Hwang would be the frontrunner

for the award. At the beginning of last season, I genuinely would

have accepted a bid at any price for Hwang as he really struggled

to find form. Gary O’Neil deserves immense credit for improving

him massively and, in fairness, the majority of players in this team.

It is quite evident already to Wolves fans that Hwang’s best attribute

is finishing and that is shown very clearly in the data. Being in the

99 th percentile for both goals per shot and goals per shot on target

ranks him as one of the best finishers in the world. Outside of that,

his successful take-ons and non-penalty goals have also been

impressive.

Hwang’s best role in Gary O’Neil’s system I view as being an inside

forward off the left. He is not physically strong enough to be a

striker but a deadly finisher hence the decision to play him as an

inside forward. It had worked wonders for Wolves last season and I

imagine it will remain that way for 2024/25.

Improvement for Hwang could come in the form of his carries. I feel

as though these are not as high as they could be but by no means

are they terrible. His low percentiles in other metrics just prove

how good a finisher he is despite this maybe not being as

sustainable.

My Verdict – Remaining at the club next season would be my

recommendation for Hee-Chan Hwang. I think he deserves another

season as the starting left winger for Wolves.

False 9 – Matheus

Cunha

When Wolves splashed a reported £44 million on Matheus Cunha

last summer after a relatively average loan spell, it could have been

seen as slightly concerning. Although, many Wolves fans, including

myself, could see that he had that special something that just

needed unlocking. It is fair to say that Gary O’Neil has done just

that and he has become a great player.

Cunha’s overall game is terrific and that is shown on his radar chart.

His link-up play is incredible with an average percentile of 89 th

excluding key passes. He takes lots of touches as shown by his 93 rd

percentile and is more of a creator, being in the 90 th percentile for

assists.

It is quite clear, even from when he signed, that he would not be the

out-and-out striker that Wolves fans were desperate for. Despite

coming off the left as an inside forward on occasions for Wolves last

season, he was mainly deployed as a false 9 where goal scoring

was not his main priority even though he still registered a

respectable 12 goals in the Premier League.

To improve his game even further, getting further forward and

taking more shots could be a suggestion although it isn’t

necessarily needed for his role. However, his key passes should be

improved by making more of them.

My Verdict – Obviously, Matheus Cunha will remain as an important

player for Wolves this season, whether that be as the central

forward or as the inside forward on the left.

Additional Players – Leon Chiwome,

Nathan Fraser and Tawanda Chirewa

• Leon Chiwome – As with all of the players in this section, Chiwome had played very few minutes

for Wolves last season and he shouldn’t have been expected to if it wasn’t for a combination of

an injury crisis and lack of investment in the forward line. In my opinion, he should remain at the

club next season in the academy where he should develop significantly after playing against

more senior defenders.

• Nathan Fraser – The most experienced player out of this group of three, Fraser looks to be a real

gem upfront for Wolves and someone who I anticipate will be a key player for the club in a few

seasons. However, he is still very raw and, in my opinion, should be allowed to leave on loan to

get more first team football. In terms of the level that he should be playing, I would aim for a high

EFL League One or low-end EFL Championship club with a preference on the former.

• Tawanda Chirewa – After signing for the club last year for the academy side, I did not expect to

be writing about him being in the first team so soon. Once again, a lack of investment in squad

depth has led to his first team call up however he has shown in his very brief time on the pitch

that he has deserved that chance. The start against Arsenal showed just how special he could

become one day and I feel it is best for him to remain in the club’s academy but with ample

amounts of exposure to the first team.

Loan Players


Yerson Mosquera

After his loan spell with FC Cincinnati in MLS, I think quite a few

Wolves fans were excited to see what could become of Yerson

Mosquera. His loan spell at Villarreal has further built upon

what he has shown in the USA and I am looking forward to

seeing him back in a Wolves shirt in pre-season.

In Spain, he has demonstrated a very strong level of defending

with a high ranking for clearances in the 87 th percentile and lots

of passes blocked in the 80 th percentile. Mosquera’s duels have

also been very successful with him in the 96 th percentile for

aerials won showing his dominance in the air.

As can be seen by his low percentiles for passes, I anticipate

that Yerson Mosquera will be used as a central defender and

not one who is required to be comfortable playing out from the

back. Therefore, I imagine that he would come back and

provide cover to Craig Dawson unless in pre-season he

demonstrated an ability to be a distributor.

Other than his passing numbers as previously highlighted, I

would suggest that he improves the number of tackles and

interceptions he makes.

My Verdict – Mosquera without doubt should be in the first

team squad next season and I can’t wait to get a glimpse of him

in pre-season after his development out on numerous loan

spells.


Ki-Jana Hoever

Before starting his second spell on loan at Stoke City, I think it is fair

to say I was in the large proportion of Wolves fans who couldn’t care

less about Ki-Jana Hoever after his torrid time at the club. However,

after seeing his data after his loan spell and speaking to a few Stoke

fans who I’m friends with, it is clear that he has developed into a

good footballer.

Hoever’s defensive numbers are very impressive with his tackle

and interception numbers ranking in the 97 th percentile along with

his percentage of dribblers tackled in the 92 nd . He has also

registered many assists which has placed him in the 80 th percentile.

Presumably, Ki-Jana Hoever will slot in seamlessly as a right

wingback as has been mainly played by Nélson Semedo. This will

involve him being a key carrier of the ball and fashioning chances

for other teammates.

That being said, he was almost the opposite of Semedo last season

where his carrying numbers were poor but the rest of his game as

an attacking full-back were at a good level. Therefore, it goes

without saying they would need to improve but that could be down

to playing in a different system.

My Verdict – I think that Hoever should be assessed in pre-season

with the view to replace Matt Doherty as the backup for Semedo on

the right. However, if he isn’t deemed good enough, he should be

sold for a reasonable fee.

Advanced Playmaker

– Luke Cundle

Last season could be deemed as the breakout year for Luke Cundle

in his young career. Following an initial positive loan spell with

Plymouth Argyle, that was strangely terminated and moved to Stoke

City on loan to link up with other Wolves loanee Ki-Jana Hoever. His

loan spell at Stoke was average however his last game of the season

showed very promising signs.

With an average percentile rank of 89 th for goal creation, it is

evident that Cundle has been a terrific creator of chances across

his two loan spells. His key passes have also been very good with a

rank of 88 th . He also receives a large amount of progressive passes

(88 th ) which demonstrates him playing further up the pitch.

I would imagine that Luke Cundle would be operated as the

advanced playmaker similar to Pablo Sarabia with the view that he

would play in the potential 4-2-3-1 system.

The only stark improvement that could be made to Cundle’s game

could be to play more through balls although this may have been

down to the system used by Stoke City.

My Verdict – It should be quite apparent from the radar to the left

that Luke Cundle should be promoted into the first team at Wolves

this season and become backup along with Bellegarde to Pablo

Sarabia. However, I feel as though he would potentially only get

minutes if Gary O’Neil plays a potential 4-2-3-1 system.

Inside Forward –

Chiquinho

At a glance last season, I was looking forward to the return of

Chiquinho to the first team after his loan spell as the backup to

Pedro Neto on the right as a winger. This was how he played under

the brief spell under Bruno Lage before his injury. However, on

further inspection, he has been predominantly used as an inside

forward at Famalicão off the left wing.

This has led to a staggering percentile of 97 th for goals per shot on

target which suggest he is a very good finisher. He also carries the

ball well into the penalty area with a ranking of 80 th percentile.

Whilst not very good, he does have a good amount of successful

take-ons with those being in the 68 th percentile.

Therefore, it can be assumed that, for certain, he will be operated

on either wing for Wolves as a right footed player. The reason I

chose the inside forward template is because that is where he

played last season and could be utilised there under Gary O’Neil.

As with the other loan player, it is difficult to recommend areas to

improve when being used in completely different systems which

affect their data output. Either way, his carries into the final third

and progressive carries could do with improvement.

My Verdict – I am still on the fence with Chiquinho and I’m unsure

whether he has a future at the club with the new direction we are

going in. Regardless, I would assess him in pre-season and keep as

a backup option on either wing.

False 9 – Gonçalo

Guedes

It is a shame the way that Gonçalo Guedes’ career has gone since

his move to Molineux in 2022. Personally, I was over the moon when

he signed as I thought he could take us to the next level along with

the other big names signed in that summer. However, I don’t feel as

though any sentiment should be reserved for him as he clearly

doesn’t want to be at the club.

Annoyingly then, he has had an incredible loan along with Yerson

Mosquera at Villarreal beneath the surface. On paper, he has been

pretty poor although his radar to the left suggests otherwise. His

possession and link-up play is incredible and even the assists

metric of goal creation is impressive with a ranking of 94 th .

The template used of false 9 would be exactly the same as that

played by Matheus Cunha last season in Gary O'Neil's 3-4-2-1.

Therefore, it would be a seamless fit if he was to return to Wolves.

Rather than any areas to improve, I would like to note that the

percentiles above should be taken with caution as Guedes has only

played less than 1000 minutes which will have inflated those

rankings.

My Verdict – It is obvious that Gonçalo Guedes does not want to be

at the club and therefore parting ways is the only option this

summer for me. A devastating loss will be made however a fee in

the region of £7-10 million should be accepted by the club.

False 9 – Sasa

Kalajdzic

As with most players on this recruitment plan, I was very excited by

the Austrian’s arrival at the club as part of the large spending in

2022. The only *slight* issue was that his injury record didn’t look

great however I believed that he should be a good signing. How

wrong I was. His spell at Wolves has been nothing short of a

disaster and following his third ACL injury, he won’t play for the

club until at least after the summer transfer window has shut.

In his limited minutes on loan at Frankfurt, he showed a good level

for playing through balls in the 91 st percentile and decent link-up

play as a whole. However, as can be seen at the top of the radar, he

has played very few minutes and therefore his percentiles are

almost worthless.

It could be assumed that Sasa Kalajdzic would be the answer to the

more out-and-out striker that Gary O’Neil has been looking for

however Kalajdzic failed to be utilised by him earlier in the season.

Once again, it is difficult to recommend any improvements because

of his lack of minutes and difference in style of play between

Wolves and Frankfurt.

My Verdict – It is fairly obvious that Gary O’Neil doesn’t rate Sasa

Kalajdzic and does not see him as the solution up front for the club.

This would lead to me suggesting him to be moved on however no

club will buy him until at least January 2025 and even then, I don’t

think any clubs will go near him with his injury record. It might be

the only option to wait until his contract runs out in 2027.

Additional Loan Players – Nigel Lonwijk,

Bendegúz Bolla, Dexter Lembikisa, Joe Hodge,

Daniel Podence and Fábio Silva

• Nigel Lonwijk – Lonwijk was a very late addition to this loan players list as I didn’t consider him as a first team

option. However, after two very impressive loan spells at Plymouth Argyle and Wycombe Wanderers in EFL League

One I feel he might develop into a useful option for Wolves. I would loan him out to a lower end EFL Championship

team to test him this season.

• Bendegúz Bolla – I think I’m in the bracket of most Wolves fans when I say that I completely forgot that Bolla was still

out on loan from us. He has seemingly had another impressive season in the Swiss Super League with Servette

instead of Grasshoppers and I believe they have an option to buy of roughly £2 million. They are likely to trigger

this after a good season and if not, he should be sold for around this value anyway.

• Dexter Lembikisa – After a rocky start on loan at Rotherham in the EFL Championship at the start of last season,

Lembikisa has found his form at Hearts in Scotland. I think there is a future for him at Wolves and therefore, it would

be best to loan him out again this season and potentially offer Hearts an extension as he seems settled there.

• Joe Hodge – At the start of his stint at QPR, especially after scoring on his debut there, I had high hopes for Hodge in

the EFL Championship. However, he has failed to play often under their new manager Cifuentes despite a

promising start. Again, I feel he has a future here and I would get another low-end EFL Championship loan move for

him.

• Daniel Podence – This loan has been quite different to the others in that it isn’t focused on development at all. For

Podence, it was purely an escape from his antics during Lopetegui’s reign that led to him being exiled from the first

team. Despite recent revisionism on Twitter following his UEFA Conference League performances, he should still be

moved on, and I would imagine that they will trigger the £5 million optional fee anyway. If not, I believe Wolves

could get a larger fee of closer to £10 million from elsewhere.

• Fábio Silva – I have been one of Silva’s biggest supporters since his arrival in the summer of 2020. After every

setback and all of his faults, I truly believed there was still a player in there who would make it in the Premier

League for Wolves. This, I thought, was vindicated after his successful loan spells in Belgium and Holland and even a

positive start to life at Rangers. However, I finally admit defeat and can’t see it working out for him at Wolves. At still

only 21, he has a promising career ahead of him but I don’t think it is worth persisting with and think that we should

aim to sell for a fee of around £10-15 million with a sell-on clause if we can gather interest.

Transfer

Targets

Transfer Briefing

Attempting to predict the amount of funds available for the summer window is a near impossible task however

after recent comments by Gary O’Neil, it can be assumed that Wolves will be mostly self-sufficient again this

season. As Fosun continue to reduce investment in the club, most of the transfer budget for this season will be

relied upon the sales of key assets. Throughout the recruitment plan so far, I have outlined which players I

would sell or I think will be sold to generate this funding. Next to each player in brackets is the fee that I

believe the club will likely achieve for each player. The players in question are José Sá (£15 million), Daniel

Bentley (£1 million), Max Kilman (£35 million), Rayan Aït-Nouri (£40 million), Pedro Neto (£40 million), Gonçalo

Guedes (£10 million), Bendegúz Bolla (£2 million), Daniel Podence (£5 million) and Fábio Silva (£10 million).

From the total amount of these sales, that would give Wolves a transfer budget of £158 million to reinvest in the

squad. In addition to this, the total amount of weekly wages saved (with data from Capology) would be roughly

£350,000. These budgets should be plenty enough to recruit in order to have a minimum of two players in each

position with academy and fringe players filling in when required.

Per position aimed to be recruited for as shown on the next page, I will present four possible targets to bring in

that I believe meet the requirements needed with a further four added to a long-list which just miss out due to

certain issues. The possible targets have been highlighted based on their data and therefore would need to be

scouted in-person before being signed for the club.

The players identified have been analysed via FBRef which subsequently means that targets will be playing in

the Men's Big 5 Leagues including the UCL and UEL as well as the Men's Next 14 Competitions. For more

details, please view how FBRef calculates their scouting reports at https://fbref.com/en/.

Transfer Briefing

These are the positions that I believe need strengthening in the summer window:

Sweeper Keeper – A replacement for José Sá with a similar level of shot-stopping but improved sweeping ability along with a

backup goalkeeper with similar numbers to the Sá replacement. Maximum Spend for Both Players: £25 million.

Central Defender – A much younger central defender to replace Craig Dawson in the long-term with a similar playing style.

Maximum Spend: £15 million.

Ball Playing Defender – A starting level Max Kilman replacement with strong ability to play as a ball playing defender.


Left-Sided Attacking Full Back – A replacement for Rayan Aït-Nouri that is ready to start most Premier League games.


Right-Sided Winger - A Pedro Neto replacement who is ready to play most of Wolves’ matches with a similar age profile.


False 9 – A similar type of striker to Matheus Cunha who is able to come in as a rotation option to ease Cunha’s workload.


Poacher – An out-and-out goalscorer who gives Wolves a different option in games and is ready to play as a starter in the

Premier League which moves Matheus Cunha to a left-sided inside forward. Maximum Spend: £30 million.

In terms of the fees themselves, they would require Fosun to invest around £12 million on top of the generated player sales

which I think is realistic. The maximum spend values are obviously subject to change as if one player is signed for less, than

that money can be allocated to other positions instead.

All targets have played at least 1350 minutes which is 15 full 90-minute matches as well as being 27 years old or younger in line

with Wolves’ average age when recruiting a player.

Sweeper

Keeper

Maximum Spend - £25 million

Álvaro Vallés

Age: 26 Height: 6ft 4”

Club: Las Palmas

Pref Foot: Right

Nationality: Spanish Contract Expires: 30/06/25

Est Market Value: £15m Est Wages: £30k p/w

Positives

• Statistically the best sweeper keeper in the

Men’s Big 5 Leagues

• High PSxG-GA suggests a very strong shotstopper

• Already linked with a move to the club

• Should be cheap due to contract expiring

next summer

Summary

Negatives

• Only had one season in a top division

league

• Doesn’t stop many crosses in

comparison to Sá

Álvaro Vallés had emerged last season as one of the best sweeper keepers in

Europe in what was only his first season in topflight football. He is already linked

with a move to the club which suggests that Wolves have already identified him as

a suitable replacement for Sá if he does leave. Vallés would be my first choice to

take the number 1 at Molineux for this season.

Warleson


Club: Cercle Brugge Pref Foot: Right

Nationality: Brazilian Contract Expires: 30/06/26


Positives

• Excellent sweeping ability as well as

distribution


• Good penalty saver

• Can launch balls forward extremely well

Summary

Negatives

• Never played in a division higher

than Belgian First Division A

• Doesn’t stop many crosses in

comparison to Sá

• Cercle Brugge could qualify for

European competition which he may

want to play in

Warleson’s and Cercle Brugge’s season last year has gone massively under

appreciated by fans and the goalkeeper has played a big part in that success. He

would come in as an excellent sweeper and distributor for Wolves in the event

that José Sá does leave. The Brazilian would be a good backup target in case the

club don’t land Vallés.

Jonas Urbig


Club: Greuther Fürth (Loan: FC Köln) Pref Foot: Right

Nationality: German Contract Expires: 30/06/26

Est Market Value: £5m

Est Wages: £10k p/w

Positives

• Excellent sweeping ability


• Has saved many difficult shots as shown by

high PSxG/SoT

• Stops many crosses

• Still very young in his career

Summary

Negatives

• Only has experience as high as the 2.

Bundesliga

• Parent club may want to utilise him

this season as he is homegrown there

• Quite substantial fee for a backup

option

Jonas Urbig has had a tremendous season last year on loan at Greuther Fürth in

what could be seen as his breakthrough year into first team football following an

unsuccessful loan elsewhere a year previous. He would be an excellent addition

at the club as a younger backup option who could progress into a starting role

and I believe he should be the main target to replace Daniel Bentley at Molineux.

Luiz Júnior


Club: FC Famalicão Pref Foot: Left



Positives

• Decent sweeping ability


• Stops lots of crosses

• Still very young for a goalkeeper

Negatives

• Very substantial fee for a backup

option

• Contract still has a long time left

• Has been number 1 at a good level

for a while, potentially wouldn’t want

to be backup option

Summary

Luiz Júnior has been FC Famalicão’s number 1 for over three seasons now and yet

has rarely been mentioned by football fans despite his young age. Last season

was arguably his best season in his career and is a player I believe Wolves should

be monitoring. The only issue is he wouldn’t want to be a backup option and

therefore could be used as a rotation option in goal should it be needed. However,

I think it would be difficult to convince him if it wasn’t to be first choice.

Central

Defender


Micael


Club: Houston Dynamo Pref Foot: Left



Positives

• Incredibly comfortable defensively with

good number of blocks and clearances

• Can operate on the ball with good short

pass completion

• Very adept at defending against dribblers

• Contract expiring soon means he will be

very cheap

Summary

Negatives

• Not the tallest of defenders

• Subsequently not very good in the air

Micael has been an absolute rock at the back for Houston Dynamo who have one

of the best defences in MLS. His profile matches very well with that of Craig

Dawson and should be considered as a defensive understudy for a couple of

seasons. It would also be a very low risk deal for Wolves considering how cheap

he would be and potentially free if the club were willing to wait six months.

Mike Eerdhuijzen


Club: Sparta Rotterdam Pref Foot: Left

Nationality: Dutch Contract Expires: 30/06/26


Positives

• Incredibly good at blocking shots

• Can operate on the ball with good pass

completion numbers

• Aerially very dominant

Negatives

• Is poor at tackling dribblers

• Could block more passes

• Numbers of tackles and interceptions

need improvement

Summary

Eerdhuijzen was an exceptional defender at Sparta Rotterdam last season. The

Dutchman matches up very closely to Dawson with added ability to be a good

distributor if he was required to do so. With a height at 6 foot 5 inches as well, he

would add more height to the backline and for the price I think he would be a

great addition to Wolves. He would be one of my first choices for Craig Dawson's

backup.

Alemão


Club: Portimonense Pref Foot: Right



Positives

• Incredibly good at blocking shots

• Decent percentage of dribblers tackled

• Clears the ball excellently

Negatives

• Could block more passes

• Poor in the air despite being very tall

• Contract doesn’t expire for a while

yet so maybe harder to acquire

Summary

Alemão had a massive breakthrough season last year in the Liga Portugal. It is his

first season of his career playing regular first team football and he has thrived in a

relatively poor side. He is an out-and-out defender and in that sense is a perfect

fit for a Craig Dawson backup. However, I don’t think he is as strong a candidate

as some of the others and therefore he is one to monitor over this season.

Shawn Adewoye


Club: RKC Waalwijk Pref Foot: Right

Nationality: Belgian Contract Expires: 30/06/24

Est Market Value: £N/A Est Wages: £30k p/w

Positives

• Defensive numbers are truly sensational

• Good amount of aerials won despite small

stature

• Decent with the ball at his feet which

provides another option

• Would come in on a free transfer

Negatives

• Could improve amount of tackles and

interceptions

• Does make quite a few errors in

possession

Summary

Adewoye has been a rock at the back in the Eredivisie this season with some of

the best defensive numbers in the whole of European football. His small height

does concern me slightly as a central defender; however he does win a lot of his

aerial duels which eases that concern for me. Especially considering he would be

coming in for nothing, I think this is a no brainer for Wolves and would be an

extremely low risk transfer.

Ball Playing

Defender


Pascal Struijk


Club: Leeds United Pref Foot: Left



Positives

• Sensational ball progression and

possession numbers make him an

excellent ball playing defender

• Good defensively with high amount of

dribblers tackled

• Premier League experience

Negatives

• Would cost a lot to bring in,

especially if Leeds United are

promoted

• Was never a notable defender when

last in the Premier League

Summary

Pascal Struijk has been a name that many fans of the Premier League are familiar

with due to his three seasons spent playing topflight football. Whilst he never

shone in England before, I feel last season in the EFL Championship has helped

to redevelop his career and has turned into an immense ball player for Leeds

United. My only concern is he would be expensive but he is the only suggestion

that has experience of the Premier League.

Taylor Harwood-Bellis


Club: Southampton (Loan: Man City) Pref Foot: Right

Nationality: English Contract Expires: 30/06/25

Est Market Value: £20m

Est Wages: £35k p/w

Positives

• Sensational ball progression and

possession numbers make him an

excellent ball playing defender

• Good defensively with high amount of

dribblers tackled

• Homegrown nationality

Negatives

• Southampton have obligation to buy

if they are promoted

• Very low tackle and interception

numbers

Summary

Harwood-Bellis for two seasons now has been absolutely sensational and it

surprised me that Burnley didn’t opt to loan him in again for last season.

Regardless, he has now shown to many that he is ready to step up to the Premier

League and I think that he is ready to replace Max Kilman should he come in.

However, defensively he isn’t as strong as some of the other candidates and

therefore may not be an improvement on Kilman.

Jacob Greaves


Club: Hull City

Pref Foot: Right



Positives

• Excellent ball progression and possession

numbers make him an excellent ball

playing defender

• Dominant in the air


• Very consistent

Negatives

• Many different clubs are chasing his

signature so would be a difficult

move

• Average number of dribblers tackled

which could be better

Summary

Jacob Greaves has almost burst onto the scene last season as a very good centre

back due to Hull City’s magnificent season. The truth is though that he has been

an excellent centre back in the EFL Championship for at least three seasons now

and it is time he makes the step up to the Premier League. However, we certainly

wouldn’t be the only club looking at him and therefore a move might be

complicated but I believe we should go all out for Greaves in the summer.

Mika Màrmol


Club: Las Palmas

Pref Foot: Left



Positives

• Excellent ball progression and possession

numbers make him an excellent ball

playing defender

• Still very early in his career

• Very good defensively

Negatives

• Only played one season in top

division football

• Aerially very worrying with a small

height

Summary

Mika Màrmol is still very early into his footballing career and has only played two

seasons in first team football. During that time though he has been phenomenal

considering his age, making waves in Spanish football. However, I think it is too

soon a move for Màrmol to the Premier League, especially to replace an

important player for Wolves last season. Although, I think he is one to monitor

over the next couple of years and could be an excellent player when developed.

Left-Sided

Attacking Full

Back


Maximilian Mittelstädt


Club: VfB Stuttgart

Pref Foot: Left

Nationality: German Contract Expires: 30/06/26


Positives

• Excellent all-round as an attacking left

wing back

• Very impressive defensively compared to

Rayan Aït-Nouri

• Already playing at a high level

Negatives

• Would probably see Wolves as a

downgrade

• Likely to be expensive considering

he is now a UEFA Champions league

player

• Would be a higher age profile

Summary

Maximilian Mittelstädt last season was probably one of the best left backs in the

Bundesliga. That in turn has led to Stuttgart’s unlikely qualification for the UEFA

Champions League. He would be a massive signing however don’t think that it

would be likely to happen due to both the fee required and him thinking a move

to Molineux as a likely step backwards in his career. Regardless, it would be an

ambitious target to replace Aït-Nouri.

Fabiano Parisi


Club: Fiorentina

Pref Foot: Left

Nationality: Italian Contract Expires: 30/06/28


Positives

• Very impressive carries/crossing numbers

• Good level of shot-creating actions

• Competent defensively

• Young age profile

Negatives

• Unlikely to move due to just signing a

season ago

• Would probably see Wolves as a

downgrade

• Wages would be amongst highest

earners at the club

Summary

Fabiano Parisi has been well-known amongst European football fans due to his

status as a wonderkid for a few years on Football Manager. This has prompted

Fiorentina to pick him up from Empoli where he has had a terrific season. Only

moving a season ago does complicate a move for Parisi however the lure of

playing in the Premier League could be used as a bargaining tool for Wolves.

Niels Nkounkou


Club: Eintracht Frankfurt Pref Foot: Left

Nationality: French Contract Expires: 30/06/28


Positives

• Very impressive carries/crossing numbers

• High level of shot-creating actions

• Incredible amount of tackles and

interceptions

• Young age profile

Negatives

• Unlikely to move due to just signing a

season ago

• Doesn’t tackle many dribblers at all

Summary

Niels Nkounkou’s career looked to be done at Everton after several loan spells

away from the club without pulling up any trees. However, after a sensational loan

move to Saint-Etienne in 2022/23, Nkounkou has built on that last season at

Frankfurt. Although failing to meet the league minutes threshold, his

performances in European competition have safely put him over and I think that

Niels Nkounkou should be the number one target should we be able to do a deal.

Eric Bocat


Club: Sint-Truiden

Pref Foot: Left



Positives

• Sensational carries/crossing numbers

• High level of shot-creating actions

• Incredible percentage of dribblers tackled

• Would be a very cheap option

Negatives

• Level of football might be a big step

up

• Number of tackles and interceptions

could be improved upon

Summary

Eric Bocat looks to be an incredible budget option for Wolves to replace Rayan

Aït-Nouri if he is to leave this summer. After a good couple of seasons in Belgium,

I think Bocat could make the step up to Premier League football however I don’t

think at present he’d be an instant success. Regardless, I think should some of the

other options be unavailable, he would be a good fit at the club and certainly one

to keep monitoring if not.

Right-Sided

Winger


Marcus Edwards


Club: Sporting CP

Pref Foot: Left



Positives

• Incredible all-round winger

• Has experience at the top level of football


• Would settle well in squad with other

Portuguese speakers

Negatives

• Would be a very expensive signing

• Sporting may be reluctant to sell him

Summary

Marcus Edwards has been unbelievable since leaving Tottenham early on in his

career. On the face of it, this could seem like a very unrealistic deal as Edwards is

one of Europe’s most underrated wingers however I don’t think it is as outrageous

as it seems. He has fallen out of favour at Sporting recently under Amorim and

therefore I think a deal could be done. Although, I would be surprised to see this

come off.

Andreas Skov Olsen


Club: Club Brugge Pref Foot: Left

Nationality: Danish Contract Expires: 30/06/26


Positives


• Current international with plenty of

experience

• Fits the same age profile as Pedro Neto

Negatives

• Might be a jump in quality from the

Belgian First Division to the Premier

League

• Quite expensive considering where

he would arrive from

Summary

Andreas Skov Olsen really impressed me when scouting for Pedro Neto’s

replacement. Whilst he hasn’t performed well in a major league, I think it is fair to

say that his numbers look very promising. Considering the potential transfer fee

however, I feel as though paying the extra amount for Edwards would be the

smarter move although would not be disappointed should Skov Olsen arrive at

Molineux this summer.

Ilias Akhomach


Club: Villarreal

Pref Foot: Left

Nationality: Moroccan Contract Expires: 30/06/26


Positives


• Good young age profile which leaves him a

lot of room for development

• One of the best dribblers in Europe

• Reasonable market value

Negatives

• Only signed at the start of last season

• Just one season in professional

football

Summary

Ilias Akhomach’s time at Barcelona brought about great promise for his career in

football. It appears as though Barcelona failed to see his potential however and

sold him to Villarreal last season where he showed his qualities out wide. I believe

he would be a very astute replacement for Pedro Neto and one which I equally

think is realistic. Akhomach would be a very good signing for the club that also

leaves him a lot of room to grow as a footballer.

Wilson Odobert


Club: Burnley FC

Pref Foot: Right



Positives

• Decent all-round winger

• Good young age profile which leaves him a

lot of room for development

• Premier League experience

• Shouldn’t be expensive as Burnley were

relegated

Negatives


• Played a lot of positions last year

Summary

Wilson Odobert despite being relegated last season was arguably Burnley FC’s

best player. He would join Wolves with experience in the Premier League already

and wouldn’t cost an enormous amount. However, his large negative is that he

didn’t play as a right winger last year but his experience either as a striker or as a

left midfielder I believe have given Odobert the skillset to replace Pedro Neto

although he wouldn't be my first-choice option at present.

False 9


Mohamed Daramy


Club: Stade de Reims Pref Foot: Right

Nationality: Danish Contract Expires: 30/06/28


Positives

• Excellent False 9 profile

• Younger age profile for the squad

• French clubs are willing to sell players

because of finances

Negatives


• Played a couple of positions last year

which may skew data

Summary

Mohamed Daramy enjoyed a great season personally in France last year after

struggling to meet the expectations he had earlier on in his career. Despite

operating as both a winger and a striker last season, Daramy did play more

minutes as a number 9 under Will Still. He did only sign for them in the summer of

2023 however French clubs are always willing to part with players due to finances

in the league and I think that Mohamed Daramy would be a good purchase.

Pablo Solari


Club: River Plate

Pref Foot: Right

Nationality: Argentinian Contract Expires: 31/12/27


Positives

• Sensational False 9 profile

• Younger age profile for the squad

• Shouldn’t cost too much from South

America

• Wolves have a few South Americans in the

squad already

Negatives


which may skew data

• Just under the required minutes

threshold

Summary

Pablo Solari is genuinely a hidden gem in Argentina and I am surprised a club in

Europe hasn’t already signed him. His profile as a false 9 is exceptional with the

only slight negative being his through balls. Although he does fail on the minutes

threshold, Solari is only 50 minutes off and with the Argentinian seasons being

annual, he most likely has played the required number of minutes. An absolute no

brainer for Wolves in the summer, Pablo Solari should be signed.

Che Adams


Club: Southampton Pref Foot: Right

Nationality: Scottish Contract Expires: 30/06/24

Est Market Value: £N/A Est Wages: £60k p/w

Positives

• Decent False 9 profile

• Already likely to join Wolves next season

• Would come in on a free transfer


Negatives

• Very poor numbers of carries

compared to Cunha

• Slightly older age profile

• Has never been fantastic in the

Premier League

Summary

Che Adams is almost on the verge of joining Wolves next season at the time of

writing and judging by Twitter, it seems as though the signing has a mixed bag of

reactions. However, in my opinion I think it would be a great signing. Adams’

profile matches quite well with Cunha, bar his carries, and would cost nothing

whilst adding vital Premier League experience. He is not as good as some of the

other candidates but I would be far from upset with him coming to Molineux.

Cristo González


Club: Arouca

Pref Foot: Right



Positives

• Excellent False 9 profile

• Shouldn’t be too expensive

• Wolves have good track record of signings

from Portugal

Negatives



which may skew data

Summary

Cristo González signed for Arouca last season and was an ever-present player for

an impressive season for the Portuguese club. Registering similar G+A numbers

to Cunha as well as an impressive false 9 profile, I think that the potential signing

of González would be welcomed by Wolves fans. Although he has been very good

in Portugal, I think I would prioritise the other candidates purely on the basis that

they are younger and would have more room to develop at the club.

Poacher


Mohamed Amoura


Club: Union Saint-Gilloise Pref Foot: Right

Nationality: Algerian Contract Expires: 30/06/27


Positives

• Great goal scorer

• Already linked with a move to Wolves

• Excellent goal-creating action numbers

Negatives

• Not got exceptional shooting

• Not got the physique of a “true

number 9”


Summary

Mohamed Amoura has already been featured on this recruitment plan in the long

list section under False 9’s merely due to having a value of above £15m. It is only

when viewing him under the Poacher template that I discovered he is also a

terrific goalscorer. Also, being featured before as potentially a False 9 as well

means he can operate in a variety of roles. I think he suits being a False 9 more,

however, so he would not be my first choice for a Poacher in the summer.

Simon Banza


Club: Sporting Braga Pref Foot: Right

Nationality: Congolese Contract Expires: 30/06/27


Positives

• Exceptional poacher

• Wolves have good track record of signing

from Portugal

• Has a good physique for a “true number 9”

Negatives

• Close to turning 28 which is on the

older side of the maximum age

threshold

Summary

Simon Banza is one of Europe’s best Poachers judging by his radar chart. He has

constantly been a great striker in the Liga Portugal and I believe he has more than

earned a move to the Premier League now. The only potential negative is that he

is on the older side however he is still only 27 so I think that he should still be

pursued by Wolves. Banza would be one of my first-choice targets to become the

out-and-out goalscorer that the club needs.

Brian Brobbey


Club: Ajax

Pref Foot: Right



Positives



• Performing well in European competitions

Negatives

• Would be an expensive signing for

the club

• Would in turn want to be one of our

highest earners

Summary

Brian Brobbey seems to have been in the limelight for a while now despite still

being only 22. A former wonderkid, he has now started to live up to that label and

was phenomenal for a poor Ajax side last season. My only concern is that it would

be an expensive signing and I don’t think the club would sanction that and I

equally don’t think that Brobbey would see it as a good move for his career.

Regardless, he is a great player but I don’t think the club should pursue him.

Vangelis Pavlidis


Club: AZ Alkmaar

Pref Foot: Both

Nationality: Greek Contract Expires: 30/06/25


Positives



• Performing well in European competitions

• Contract expires in one year

Negatives

• May see Wolves as potentially a

downgrade due to playing in

European competitions regularly

Summary

Vangelis Pavlidis has been a sensational player for AZ in the Netherlands over the

past few seasons. Having being among the race for the European golden boot for

at least three seasons now, I think that Pavlidis should be moving to the Premier

League this season. I would love us to sign him but feel as though he may

potentially have better options on the table especially with his contract due to

expire soon. In my opinion, Wolves should do everything to land him this summer.

Example Summer

Transfer Window

| Squad Depth

Example Summer Transfer

Window | Squad Depth

Out

José Sá - £15 million

Daniel Bentley - £1 million

Max Kilman - £35 million

Rayan Aït-Nouri - £40 million

Pedro Neto - £40 million

Gonçalo Guedes - £10 million

Bendegúz Bolla - £2 million

Daniel Podence - £5 million

Fábio Silva - £10 million

In

Álvaro Vallés - £15 million

Jonas Urbig - £5 million

Shawn Adewoye – Free Transfer

Jacob Greaves - £15 million

Niels Nkounkou - £15 million

Marcus Edwards - £25 million

Pablo Solari - £10 million

Vangelis Pavlidis - £25 million

Fees

Total Spend: £110 million

Total Sales: £158 million

Net Spend: +£48 million

Transfer

Targets Long

List

Long List

Sweeper Keeper

Justin Bijlow (Feyenoord)

Great option for a number 1 however would be too expensive and probably wouldn’t downgrade.

Cleiton Schwengber (Red Bull Bragantino)

Could come in and be a decent player although unsure about ability levels to take over as number 1.

Arijanet Muric (Burnley)

Was incredible under Kompany in the EFL Championship however failed to reach the minimum minutes threshold when scouting.

Viktor Johansson (Rotherham United)

Would be a cheap option with his relegation release clause of £900k however is likely to return to the EFL Championship as a number 1.

Central Defender

Bobby Thomas (Coventry City)

As a homegrown option, he has had a great season in the EFL Championship especially in the game against us in the FA Cup however wasn’t as strong as the other candidates.

Ewoud Pletinckx (OH Leuven)

Has had a great season in the Belgian First Division last year however think he should improve defensively before being considered.

Alán Montes (Necaxa)

Very strong defender at a high level in comparison to the others, although let down by his ability on the ball in possession.

Lewis Gibson (Plymouth Argyle)

Played decently for a poor Plymouth side and would be homegrown but don’t think he is ready for a step up to the Premier League.

Long List


Thomas Beelen (Feyenoord)

Fit the mould of Max Kilman very well whilst playing for a great team however missed out due to just missing the minutes threshold.

Soumaïla Coulibaly (Royal Antwerp – Loan: Borussia Dortmund)

A very strong ball playing defender playing at a high level even in the UEFA Champions League last season but feel as though defensively he was a downgrade on Kilman.

Jannis Heuer (Paderborn 07)

A very left-field option from the 2. Bundesliga who is a very good ball progressor although failed to reach the required minutes and think it would be too big a step up at the moment.

Rein Van Helden (Sint-Truiden)

Probably the best all-round ball playing defender on the shortlist however similar to others it would be too much to be an important Premier League player at this point in time.

Left-Sided Attacking Full Back

Sergiño Dest (PSV Eindhoven – Loan: FC Barcelona)

Would be a terrific fit however don’t think the price we would pay is justified considering the other options for similar.

Gabriel Suazo (Toulouse)

A combination of age profile and defensive ability ruled him out of selection however not a bad option.

Archie Brown (Gent)

One of the best on the shortlist for carries however one of the worst for defensive ability. Still think that he would be a very good option who is homegrown with a young age profile

though.

Darlin Yongwa (Lorient)

Would have probably made the targets over Bocat if not for missing the minutes threshold. A good player who is the most similar like-for-like replacement for Rayan Aït-Nouri all things

considered.

Long List

Right-Sided Winger

Edon Zhegrova (Lille)

Is an incredible winger with great numbers to replace Pedro Neto however is already being chased by Europe’s elite clubs.

Rayan Cherki (Olympique Lyon)

Has been a wonderkid for years it feels now but some of his off-field issues I think would put Wolves off from signing.

Ritsu Doan (SC Freiburg)

Came very close to making the shortlist with his excellent season but was unlucky to miss out as mainly operated as a wingback.

Crysencio Summerville (Leeds United)

A very good player in the EFL Championship last season however didn’t quite fit the profile and would probably cost a lot.

False 9

Jutglà (Club Brugge)

Very impressive player in Belgium for a couple of seasons now but feel as though Club Brugge would demand more than the maximum budget of £15m.

Mohamed Amoura (Union Saint-Gilloise)

Another player who has been heavily linked to Wolves and one which I think would be a great fit but purely didn’t make the targets due to us likely having to spend more than £15m on

him.

Ange-Yoan Bonny (Parma)

A terrific false 9 who has earned promotion to the Italian Serie A but decided against inclusion due to level of football being played. Certainly one to monitor for this season though.

Ryan Mmaee (Stoke City)

Had a very poor first season in England on the face of it last year however his underlying numbers suggest he is a great false 9. Didn’t make the targets as feel he wasn’t good enough in

the division below to warrant playing Premier League football.

Long List

Poacher

Luis Vázquez (Anderlecht)

Has had a decent first season in Belgium after joining from Argentina but failed to make the targets as didn’t quite meet the minutes threshold.

Kevin Denkey (Cercle Brugge)

One of Europe's best goal scorers last season but just missed out due to his all-round shooting not quite being at a Premier League level.

George Ilenikhena (Royal Antwerp)

An absolutely incredible poacher who is just 17 years old playing in the Belgium first division however I don’t feel he is ready to be a starting number 9 in the Premier League just yet.

Still, he should be monitored as he has the potential to be a great player in the future.

Josh Sargent (Norwich City)

Last season was a great revival season for his career after stalling at Norwich for a few years however I feel as though he has started to kick on. Although, I feel he needs another year in

the EFL Championship to truly establish himself.

Conclusion

Conclusion

And just like that, the recruitment plan is finished. If you have made it this far thank you very much for taking

the time to read it. It has taken a while for me to write but I hope that I have got across some ideas and potential

targets for the summer that I would love to see bought to the club.

This summer appears to be another one of significant change and the rebuild of the original rebuild from the

Europa League era looks set to take place at Wolves under the management of Gary O’Neil. As outlined, many

of Wolves fan’s favourites could be set to leave – particularly Pedro Neto amongst many others. Therefore, the

club will have to be proactive in getting deals done to ensure that the squad does not enter the 2024/25 season

as threadbare as it did the last.

As shown pre-Coventry City match last season, the squad and manager are good enough to make a real push

for European competition qualification and in an increasingly competitive Premier League. All it needs is better

luck with injuries and sufficient squad depth which hopefully has been accounted for in the recruitment plan.

Provided we invest smartly this summer, there is no reason that we shouldn’t be aiming towards the UEFA

Europa Conference League qualification places.

If you have any feedback, positive or negative, feel free to message me @DiggoryEthan or @scoutingww on

Twitter/X.

Thanks once again and Wolves Ay We!

Wolverhampton Wanderers Recruitment Plan – Summer 2024

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