Wolverhampton Wanderers seem to be on the path to brighter days thanks to Gary O’Neil, who took charge of the Midlands club just four days prior to their 2023/24 Premier League opener after a trialling summer at Molineux.
The Englishman faced an uphill battle to get his depleted squad firing in the top flight after the club were struck with the revelation of the extent of their financial fair play (FFP) struggles, however things finally look to be on the up for the Old Gold.
Despite sitting comfortably in 12th in the table after 12 games played, O’Neil claimed that his side are “£80m short” in quality after the sale-ridden summer, to which some of the Midlands side’s heroes were offloaded to generate vital profit.
Looking ahead to the January transfer window, Wolves are expected to bring in “one or two” signings at most, according to The Athletic’s Steve Madeley, who explained that the club will still have “restrictions on spending” in the winter due to FFP constraints.
Madeley added that Wolves will prioritise their search for a striker, with the format of incomings set to be through loan deals with an option or obligation to buy, with next summer set to be a far “freer to spend” environment from an FFP point of view.
That being said sales could also come in January, which like the summer climate, could free up further funds to welcome new additions to the squad, with some players having already been mooted for a potential exit.
1 Fabio Silva
With speculation leaning towards the subject of Wolves targeting a striker in January, it could mean the end of the road for 21-year-old Fabio Silva.
The Portuguese prospect arrived in the Midlands in 2020, arriving from Porto for a mammoth fee of £35.6m at the age of just 18.
Despite making the headlines back in Portugal for his goalscoring proficiency in Porto’s youth side, the forward has had a hard time adapting to life at Wolves, leaving his future questionable.
In 75 appearances for the Old Gold’s senior team, Silva has netted just five goals, paving the way for the club to send their promising asset out on loan in the 2022/23 campaign to gain experience.
Appearances
Goals
Assists
36
4
3
26
0
3
10
1
0
After scoring 16 goals while representing both Anderlecht and PSV Eindhoven in two separate temporary spells last season, there was hope that the youngster could return to Molineux and replicate such streaks.
Once lauded as “terrific” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, the Portugal U21 sensation is still in the process of answering questions regarding his suitability in the Premier League, with transfer insider Dean Jones telling GIVEMESPORT that his time in the Midlands could soon be up.
Jones explained that “nothing is going his [Silva’s] way” in England, adding that it “wouldn't surprise” him if talks arose in January about the forward moving away from Wolves, making him a player that could be axed this winter.
While the striker’s value has decreased to €16.2m (£14m), far from the fee the club paid to obtain him, selling him for the right price could free up funds for O’Neil’s side to seek more suitable candidates to lead the line in his place.
2 Pablo Sarabia
Just a year after his arrival at Wolves, Pablo Sarabia could be another player targeted for a sale this winter after failing to show his best form in order to secure consistent game time.
Signed from Paris Saint-Germain in January, the Spaniard has struggled to find a place in O’Neil’s side due to the emergence of Pedro Neto in his favoured right-wing position.
In 21 appearances, the 31-year-old has scored twice, with his second goal coming earlier this month thanks to his match-winning cameo against Spurs in the Premier League.
Having only started two games in the league this season, it’s unlikely that the manager will see Sarabia in his future plans, with his age and inability to compete with the first-choice names in the squad making him a potential point of sale in January.
Rumours surrounding his future surfaced in September, when journalist Ben Jacobs relayed that Saudi Arabian side Al-Ettifaq were considering signing the former Spain international.
According to Football Transfers, the Real Madrid academy graduate has an expected transfer value of €10.6m (£9m), which could indicate a slight profit from the £4.4m Wolves paid PSG for his services earlier this year – if the right buyer is identified.
3 Pedro Neto
Perhaps not a shock, Pedro Neto could be the main source of profit from Wolves if the club were to sell the winger in the near future.
The Portuguese forward has started the 2023/24 campaign in explosive fashion, recording seven assists and topping the Premier League charts in that area to prevail as the league’s top creator so far.
It’s taken a while for the 23-year-old to find his stride in England, with successive injuries slowing his progression, however he finally looks to have found his place under O’Neil.
Due to his form, the winger has been linked with a move away from Molineux, with Football Transfers naming Arsenal among the potential candidates who hope to swipe the dynamic playmaker from Wolves’ grasp in the future.
While the Old Gold would obviously prefer to keep hold of their top talent, the report speculated that the club value their star at a fee as high as £70m, prompting the question as to whether such a profit would sanction his exit.
On deadline day, O’Neil reluctantly bid farewell to Matheus Nunes, with the £53m offer too tempting to refuse, allowing the boss to welcome some much-needed quality to increase the depth of his squad.
An offer of a similar value could potentially sway Neto and Wolves to part ways, as the squad remains low on numbers, however the Portugal international reportedly told the club that he would not be pushing for an exit in January.
Only time will tell if the winger will stick to his word in the New Year, particularly if another club expresses serious interest in his services with an attractive fee to pair with it.
