Wolverhampton Wanderers ambitious £101m summer transfer window - according to bold prediction

Wolves will hope to build on a season that hinted at genuine progress under Gary O’Neil. The former Bournemouth boss was parachuted in following the departure of Julen Lopetegui and little was expected given the lack of preparation time for the new season. However, Wolves produced a solid fourteenth placed finish and O’Neil managed to put in place some foundations that will help him moving forwards.

There will be a number of major decisions for the Molineux hierarchy to make during the summer and it seems likely they will have to fend off advances from a number of clubs showing interest in the likes of Joao Gomes and Max Kilman.

But what could lie in wait for O’Neil and Wolves over the coming months? We fired up Football Manager 2024 to see how the world’s most popular managerial simulation predicts the summer transfer window will pan out at Molineux.

Goalkeepers

An underwhelming start to proceedings really. No new signings, no departures, just O’Neil heading into the new season with the same goalkeeping options as he possessed when the curtain came down on last season.

O’Neil’s goalkeeping options: Jose Sa, Dan Bentley, Tom King.

Defenders

Now we’re are cooking. Firstly, we will deal with departures as Matt Doherty heads to Girona in a £1m move and Santiago Bueno also goes to Spain after Wolves came to a £1.5m agreement with Rayo Vallecano.

Toti Gomes heads for pastures new too, after making a £3m switch to Strasbourg. There were new additions as O’Neil snaps up Nottingham Forest full-back Neco Williams in a £5m deal and PSV Eindhoven’s Austrian centre-back Andre Ramalho also arrives at Molineux in a £2.5m move. However, the biggest outlay goes on Chelsea’s Ian Maatsen, who snubs a permanent move to Borussia Dortmund to remain in the Premier League with Wolves. A fee of £24m was enough to land the Dutchman.

O’Neil’s defensive options: Ki-Jana Hoever, Max Kilman, Yerson Mosquera, Nelson Semedo, Andre Ramalho, Neco Williams, Ian Maatsen, Hugo Bueno, Rayan-Ait Nouri.

Midfielders

There are a number of new faces among O’Neil’s midfield options as around £65m is paid out for three new additions in the middle of the park. The most expensive signing is Sweden international Williot Swedberg, who joins from La Liga club Celta Vigo in a £26.5m deal. Lille star Ignacio Miramon is tempted away from France in a £10m deal and Hamza Choudhury makes the switch from Leicester City after the two clubs agreed a £14m deal. Arsenal youngster Charlie Patino is also brought in after agreeing a £15m move to Molineux.

O’Neil’s midfield options: Boubacar Traore, Ignacio Miramon, Joao Gomes, Mario Lemina, Jean-Ricnar Bellegarde, Williot Swedberg, Hamza Choudhury, Charlie Patino.

Forwards

The main outgoing deal at the top end of the pitch saw Daniel Podence return from his loan spell at Olympiakos before joining Crystal Palace in an £8m deal. In his place comes Uruguayan Under-21 striker Luciano Rodriguez after Wolves agreed a £2.2m deal with Liverpool - that’s the South American version of Liverpool, not the Merseyside-based one.

O’Neil’s forward options: Pedro Neto, Matheus Cunha, Hwang Hee-Chan, Luciano Rodriguez, Sasa Kaladjzic