It feels like a lifetime ago that Nuno Espirito Santo led Wolverhampton Wanderers into Europe. The good old days. They came and they passed, and now the Old Gold will become a thing of the past in the Premier League.
A tough spot, and no mistake, but it’s not all doom and gloom for Wolves, whose immediate future might lie in the Championship, but whose manager, Rob Edwards, has succeeded in reuniting a club without a direction.
There remains significant concern over Wolves’ future as they prepare to bounce right back up to the big time, with poor recruitment and leadership over the past several years feeding into the decline.
Pinning down the problems to any one position is pointless, but there’s no question that the Old Gold still miss the presence of Ruben Neves and Joao Moutinho in the middle of the park.
Why Wolves still miss Ruben Neves and Joao Moutinho
Wolves have been guilty of a wide range of transfer blunders over the past few years, all culminating in relegation this season. Wolves are not mathematically doomed, but to stage a fightback now would be to complete an unprecedented escape act.
Selling Matheus Cunha and Pedro Neto in recent years has weakened the frontline, but it’s the loss of midfield generals like Moutinho which has irreversibly damaged the top status of this current squad.
Moutinho was not just a majestic midfielder, but a leader who inspired his teammates. Neves once said that “he’s without a doubt the most intelligent player I have ever played with.”
Recent additions like Jean-Ricner Bellegarde and Angel Gomes have failed to hit the same heights as those before them, although that’s not the case for every midfielder at Molineux.
Even though central midfield is arguably the strongest section at the club, it is inevitable that concessions are going to have to be made during the summer window.
And sadly, that could mean parting with a centrepiece who has the potential to thrive at one of the biggest outfits in the Premier League.
Why the new Moutinho could be sold by Wolves
There’s no question that Wolves need to sell a good number of their first-team stars this season. If they are relegated, as is expected, that is a given.
They won’t want to lose Andre and Joao Gomes, but given that these are two of the most profitable and talented players at the club, there is a strong sense that Fosun will have to cash in.
Funnily, Andre has gone from strength to strength at Molineux this season, running counter to the wider malaise that has consumed the club on their eighth-successive-year in the Premier League.
He’s found his feet in new territory, more confident on the ball and more combative in his defending. Were Andre playing among a higher calibre and more confident group of players, he might just be earning wider acclaim for his performances.
Andre in the Premier League
Stats (*per 90)
24/25
25/26
Matches (starts)
33 (31)
29 (24)
Goals + Assists
0 + 0
1 + 0
Touches*
52.2
50.6
Accurate passes*
37.7 (93%)
34.3 (91%)
Chances created*
0.5
0.5
Possession lost*
4.8
6.7
Succ. dribbles*
0.5 (57%)
0.4 (50%)
Ball recoveries*
5.9
5.8
Tackles + interceptions*
3.9
3.2
Duels won*
4.3 (59%)
4.2 (52%)
Errors made
2x
5x
The truth is that Andre has been a comparatively consistent performer throughout his Wolves career, with the Brazilian even described as the club’s new version of Moutinho for his excellent technical ability and the partnership that he has forged with compatriot Gomes beside him.
Neves and Moutinho used to play together internationally with Portugal, and Edwards is overseeing a repeat in that regard, the duo a bright spark at the centre of a dim and gloomy season.
Andre has recently professed his love for Wolves and his desire to stay put for many years to come, but the reality is that the 25-year-old may need to be sold to combat the many issues that arise when an outfit tumbles down into the second tier.
After all, correspondent Liam Keen has recently acknowledged that he “expects he will leave the club“, and given the pretty penny that Fosun would bank, this certainly makes sense.
It’s a shame that the Molineux side will struggle to retain the services of their best players this summer, but if they double down on strategies used to secure such signatures, they will bounce back into the Premier League in no time.
Related
£11m Wolves flop looked like the new Neto, now he’s finished under Edwards
Wolves will need to ring a great number of changes during the summer transfer window.