Liam Keen Article

[Skrilla]

Analysing Wolves' summer challenge and recruitment policy changes

With Premier League football secured for next season, Wolves are facing a new challenge in the coming months.

www.expressandstar.com

I feel this warrants a thread, a lot of news to take in from this, and it's certainly worded in such a way that someone from the club is feeding this directly to Keen.

1. Fosun spending to support Lopetegui isn't guaranteed, meeting will happen soon to know how much support he will get this summer.
2. 'Sell to buy' could be the policy if Fosun decide against investing additional funds into the club.
3. Lopetegui and his staff's families all settled locally and want to be here long term, but he doesn't want to be fighting against relegation next season.
4. They can't extend Semedo because of the uncertainty caused by the above, they also want to extend Adama.
5. Raul, Jonny, Podence, RAN expected to leave. Hwang is liked by many clubs.
6. Neves is expected to leave for around £40 million, Nunes interest has waned since last summer.
7. Kilman could leave for a fee of around £35m if Wolves have to follow a 'sell-to-buy' model.
8. Wolves have FIVE targets in the pipeline but currently unable to sign them due to the uncertain financial situation, they may lose out on them due to the limbo.
9. Wolves going back to the "young and hungry" model, players need to want to play for Wolves.
10. No signings expected for over £20 million unless Fosun decide to invest heavily again.
11. Club moving away from reliance on Jorge Mendes.
12. Mendes pushed Guedes to Wolves despite him not wanting to join us, Lage also supported it.
13. Mendes tried to help Lyon sign Joao Gomes in January because "Wolves did not need his services to sign the player".
14. Ansu Fati is a non-starter, Barca are interested in Neves.
15. They like Alex Scott, but £20-25m might be too much, assuming that we are sell-to-buy.
16. Boubacar Traore expected to have bigger role next season, Joao Gomes will be a key player. Nathan Collins still highly rated.
17. 17 year old forward Leon Chiwome is very highly rated.
18. Final line - "If investment arrives, or Lopetegui is promised a healthy budget, then Wolves’ summer may look different than current forecasts – but the reality is that the club are making big changes to their recruitment policy."

A little worrying, hopefully Julen gets the backing this summer that he deserves from Fosun for keeping the club up. If we have to sell the likes of Kilman to buy new players, we're not going to be pushing for the top half again.

 

[Urko]

Re Semedo thank god for FFP

 

[NothingButNeto]

Not too surprising that we won’t be splashing the cash again this summer, which is fine. Other than Cunha and Nunes (who runs hot and cold) the hungry players have been key in this relegation battle.

More worrying is that we don’t have the money to move on 5 potential signings and may lose 3 of them AND we may lose Semedo on a free even when we have the 2 year option because we can’t afford it.

 

[yateleywolf]

On a positive moving away from the Mendes pipe-line was long over due .

 

[Chisels_n_ommers]

Keep tolishing that purd JL

 

[Skrilla]

I have my doubts that Julen will remain here if he's not guaranteed the backing he deserves in the next couple of weeks. There's no reason a manager with his CV should stay if he's not backed to push us into the top half again.

“I need to have a long meeting with our chairman to hear from him and hear what his ideas are for the next year because it’s going to be key for me to make my decision,”

In hindsight was this quote lost in translation? Seems more important now to know what "his decision" means. I have a feeling Shi is waiting to hear from Fosun on if additional investment will be provided.

 

[Woodsetton Wolf]

Is this in line with what you’ve heard @arctic rime ??

 

[Starsky]

Well we won't have to wait too long to know where we stand. Lop and Semedo going or staying will tell us all we need to know ahead of the Summer.

That said, the FFP element which is the crux of the whole thing is clearly nonsense.

 

[Oliwolf44]

Sounds like Lopetegui got a lot of work to do next season and there may not be funds even if we sell. the noises certainly arent of a team aiming for top half but lets just see.

 

[Oh When the Wolves]

How can a meeting not have taken place

We should already be talking to players

Sooner jeff is out the club the better

 

[Olivergoldblack]

Doubt we would have attracted someone of lopetegui's calibre without assurances of what type of budgets he'd have. He's not come here to have relegation scraps every year. We can't be short changing him now.

 

[so-called fan]

Analysing Wolves' summer challenge and recruitment policy changes

With Premier League football secured for next season, Wolves are facing a new challenge in the coming months.

www.expressandstar.com

I feel this warrants a thread, a lot of news to take in from this, and it's certainly worded in such a way that someone from the club is feeding this directly to Keen.

1. Fosun spending to support Lopetegui isn't guaranteed, meeting will happen soon to know how much support he will get this summer.
2. 'Sell to buy' could be the policy if Fosun decide against investing additional funds into the club.
3. Lopetegui and his staff's families all settled locally and want to be here long term, but he doesn't want to be fighting against relegation next season.
4. They can't extend Semedo because of the uncertainty caused by the above, they also want to extend Adama.
5. Raul, Jonny, Podence, RAN expected to leave. Hwang is liked by many clubs.
6. Neves is expected to leave for around £40 million, Nunes interest has waned since last summer.
7. Kilman could leave for a fee of around £35m if Wolves have to follow a 'sell-to-buy' model.
8. Wolves have FIVE targets in the pipeline but currently unable to sign them due to the uncertain financial situation, they may lose out on them due to the limbo.
9. Wolves going back to the "young and hungry" model, players need to want to play for Wolves.
10. No signings expected for over £20 million unless Fosun decide to invest heavily again.
11. Club moving away from reliance on Jorge Mendes.
12. Mendes pushed Guedes to Wolves despite him not wanting to join us, Lage also supported it.
13. Mendes tried to help Lyon sign Joao Gomes in January because "Wolves did not need his services to sign the player".
14. Ansu Fati is a non-starter, Barca are interested in Neves.
15. They like Alex Scott, but £20-25m might be too much, assuming that we are sell-to-buy.
16. Boubacar Traore expected to have bigger role next season, Joao Gomes will be a key player. Nathan Collins still highly rated.
17. 17 year old forward Leon Chiwome is very highly rated.
18. Final line - "If investment arrives, or Lopetegui is promised a healthy budget, then Wolves’ summer may look different than current forecasts – but the reality is that the club are making big changes to their recruitment policy."

A little worrying, hopefully Julen gets the backing this summer that he deserves from Fosun for keeping the club up. If we have to sell the likes of Kilman to buy new players, we're not going to be pushing for the top half again.

I find most of that very reassuring.

 

[Bill McCai]

They cant push the season tickets up whilst also signalling we are going back the days of Eggy and Mark Fotheringham!

 

[Ned]

I love Kilman but offer us £35m and we should snap whoever’s hands off.

But yea, to be expected really. We spent big in both windows and have a huge squad. We need to be creative!!

 

[Oh When the Wolves]

Neglecting a quality centre forward yet again then

They do not understand

I’d sell kilman tomorrow if that meant signing a decent forward

 

[Perton Wolf]

Analysing Wolves' summer challenge and recruitment policy changes

With Premier League football secured for next season, Wolves are facing a new challenge in the coming months.

www.expressandstar.com

I feel this warrants a thread, a lot of news to take in from this, and it's certainly worded in such a way that someone from the club is feeding this directly to Keen.

1. Fosun spending to support Lopetegui isn't guaranteed, meeting will happen soon to know how much support he will get this summer.
2. 'Sell to buy' could be the policy if Fosun decide against investing additional funds into the club.
3. Lopetegui and his staff's families all settled locally and want to be here long term, but he doesn't want to be fighting against relegation next season.
4. They can't extend Semedo because of the uncertainty caused by the above, they also want to extend Adama.
5. Raul, Jonny, Podence, RAN expected to leave. Hwang is liked by many clubs.
6. Neves is expected to leave for around £40 million, Nunes interest has waned since last summer.
7. Kilman could leave for a fee of around £35m if Wolves have to follow a 'sell-to-buy' model.
8. Wolves have FIVE targets in the pipeline but currently unable to sign them due to the uncertain financial situation, they may lose out on them due to the limbo.
9. Wolves going back to the "young and hungry" model, players need to want to play for Wolves.
10. No signings expected for over £20 million unless Fosun decide to invest heavily again.
11. Club moving away from reliance on Jorge Mendes.
12. Mendes pushed Guedes to Wolves despite him not wanting to join us, Lage also supported it.
13. Mendes tried to help Lyon sign Joao Gomes in January because "Wolves did not need his services to sign the player".
14. Ansu Fati is a non-starter, Barca are interested in Neves.
15. They like Alex Scott, but £20-25m might be too much, assuming that we are sell-to-buy.
16. Boubacar Traore expected to have bigger role next season, Joao Gomes will be a key player. Nathan Collins still highly rated.
17. 17 year old forward Leon Chiwome is very highly rated.
18. Final line - "If investment arrives, or Lopetegui is promised a healthy budget, then Wolves’ summer may look different than current forecasts – but the reality is that the club are making big changes to their recruitment policy."

A little worrying, hopefully Julen gets the backing this summer that he deserves from Fosun for keeping the club up. If we have to sell the likes of Kilman to buy new players, we're not going to be pushing for the top half again.

Viewing £20-25m as too much for a PL club that has been in the league for 5 years would represent a disgrace.

FOSUN need to decide whether they have the stomach to continue investing in the club, if not then they need sell up to someone who does.

 

[Bill McCai]

Neglecting a quality centre forward yet again then

They do not understand

I’d sell kilman tomorrow if that meant signing a decent forward

New chant?

 

[Lobo de Ouro]

Same message we've heard over and over again, no?

Sprinkled with a few leaps and assumptions.

Not too worrying.

 

[groundhogwolf]

Cracks me up every summer transfer window, why would the club leak to the media that they have millions to spend or no pot to **** in.

 

[Perton Wolf]

Neglecting a quality centre forward yet again then

They do not understand

I’d sell kilman tomorrow if that meant signing a decent forward

Indeed, Kilman is very replaceable.

 

[Wolf316]

I find most of that very reassuring.

How so?

 

[Gromit]

I find most of that very reassuring.

Same here. All seems sensible to me.

 

[Skrilla]

Cracks me up every summer transfer window, why would the club leak to the media that they have millions to spend or no pot to **** in.

Putting pressure on the ownership to spend? If the situation is as dire as mentioned above, why wouldn't they?

 

[AndyWolves]

If we really can't extend Semedo s contract then we're ****ed

 

[Urko]

Can we ask the club if we can pay even more for our season tickets to help with FFP

 

[Wolf in Kenilworth]

I tell you what, Liam is a proper Wolves journalist, writer and insider. Love it.

The article dampens the expectation but doesn’t trash it. Flick of a switch and the lights are back on.

Neves will leave as will a hatful of other players. Bringing money in won’t be a problem and neither will cooking the books for another year should it get tighter.

One thing we cannot and must not do is not back the manager. We have the basis is a very good squad. A bit of trimming the fat and a few smart signings (see Dawson, Gomes and Lamina) and this manager at the helm and we could be in for a European push next season.

Big summer Wolves. Don’t. ****. It. Up.

 

[Supadavewolf]

It must be me but the Keen article is too full of ifs, buts and maybes to get worried about, at least at present.

But there again we are about to enter the "don't panic" season

 

[JadeWolf]

Our best signings this season have been Dawson and Lemina, who we signed for small fees and without Mendes’ help. If we’re being forced to look for more deals like that because of this financial “black hole” then bring it on!

 

[Ewok vs Wolf]

Sounds like a lot of guess work to me l, some will turn out out yo be true l, others way off the mark.
The club spent a lot in the past year its easy to forget that. It's obvious there's at leadt a few will be moved out on free transfers, some minimal some big
. Jl will be wheeling and dealing it's obvious.
To suggest the manager will walk if he isn't backed is predictable pant wetting by the usual doom and gloom merchants.

 

[Wolf316]

Our best signings this season have been Dawson and Lemina, who we signed for small fees and without Mendes’ help. If we’re being forced to look for more deals like that because of this financial “black hole” then bring it on!

This is where Fran Garagaza will come in.

 

[JadeWolf]

Sounds like a lot of guess work to me l, some will turn out out yo be true l, others way off the mark.
The club spent a lot in the past year its easy to forget that. It's obvious there's at leadt a few will be moved out on free transfers, some minimal some big
. Jl will be wheeling and dealing it's obvious.
To suggest the manager will walk if he isn't backed is predictable pant wetting by the usual doom and gloom merchants.

Let’s be fair, they’ve been telling us we’re going down all season. They’ve got to have some catastrophe to talk about now we’re safe!

 

[Skrilla]

Our best signings this season have been Dawson and Lemina, who we signed for small fees and without Mendes’ help. If we’re being forced to look for more deals like that because of this financial “black hole” then bring it on!

I have no problem with them being more shrewd and moving away from Mendes, but if we have deals lined up that can't be completed due to uncertainty over funding that's a serious problem, as is selling some of our best players to make new signings, given that a significant overhaul is needed to make us competitive (pushing top half) again.

 

[Oliwolf44]

Its all mostly expected but can someone explain the Semedo aspect? Have been a critic of Semedo and he isnt the ideal player but not being able to extend his contract? Surely if Jonny is off, Semedo aswell we would then have to buy a RB which would cost more?? Or is Semedo on that higher wage? I dont understand this part. Semedo is just serviceable as a RB and we need to spend elsewhere so just fine having him for another year.

 

[Skrilla]

Sounds like a lot of guess work to me l, some will turn out out yo be true l, others way off the mark.
The club spent a lot in the past year its easy to forget that. It's obvious there's at leadt a few will be moved out on free transfers, some minimal some big
. Jl will be wheeling and dealing it's obvious.
To suggest the manager will walk if he isn't backed is predictable pant wetting by the usual doom and gloom merchants.

Do you think a manager with Real Madrid, Spain, Porto, Sevilla on his CV has come here to keep us up again next year? He wouldn't be struggling for offers after keeping us up. Take your gold-tinted spectacles off.

 

[Wolf316]

Really wouldn’t surprise me if Mendes advises Ruben to see his contract out and sign for Barca on a free next year.

 

[Wolf316]

It’s all mostly expected but can someone explain the Semedo aspect? Have been a critic of Semedo and he isnt the ideal player but not being able to extend his contract? Surely if Jonny is off, Semedo aswell we would then have to buy a RB which would cost more?? Or is Semedo on that higher wage? I dont understand this part. Semedo is just serviceable as a RB and we need to spend elsewhere so just fine having him for another year.

Surely we’d just take the option to extend and then sell him rather than letting him walk away for nothing.

 

[SuperGran]

Really wouldn’t surprise me if Mendes advises Ruben to see his contract out and sign for Barca on a free next year.

Do you think Ruben has so little respect for wolves he’d do that

 

[Wolf316]

Do you think Ruben has so little respect for wolves he’d do that

No but that wouldn’t stop Mendes advising against it.

 

[SuperGran]

No but that wouldn’t stop Mendes advising against it.

I think Ruben will sign a new deal to prevent that

 

[Monketron]

We've done a horrible job of selling our players for big profits. When you look how much Brighton extract it's crazy how little we have. Jota is the only one we've properly cashed in on (MGW too but he was home grown rather than an investment buy). Adama is going for nothing, Neves will be a cut fee due to 12 months left, Semedo will probably go for nothing. With Guedes we'll be lucky to get out of with a £10m loss. Neto's value has tanked cos of injuries. Total wastage of investment, no wonder Fosun think throwing more money at this isn't going to work.

Not helped by our style of play. If you want to sell attacking / midfield players for big money you need to play a style that shows them off. Having a winger sitting with 1 goal 2 assists or whatever for the season because we play them up top miles from any teammate and with no midfield support, isn't going to entice a team to come drop £60m on them is it?