Wolves target a squad of quality

While there are perhaps more players on the club’s books than ever before, Nuno Espirito Santo kept a fairly small first-team squad at his disposal in 2017/18.

And sporting director Kevin Thelwell says the target is to have 19 or 20 senior first team players in the Premier League, supplemented by younger upcoming stars.

“It’ll be quality over quantity,” Thelwell told the Express & Star.

“We’re looking at having a smaller group of senior players, supported by a strong group of young and hungry players.

“Nuno prefers to work with a leaner squad so without question we’re looking at that model, a squad of maybe 19 or 20 seniors and the rest will be younger players who are going to grow with us.

“We’ve seen Bright Enobakhare this season, Morgan Gibbs-White, Harry Burgoyne, Oskar Buur Rasmussen, those sort of boys proved they’re capable of supporting over the course of the season.”

A large number of players went out on loan last season and the likelihood is the likes of Dominic Iorfa, Ben Marshall, Joe Mason and Paul Gladon, who are all still on the club’s books, will leave on loan again or perhaps permanently.

Recruitment boss Thelwell said Marshall, who enjoyed a successful temporary spell with Millwall as they just missed out on the Championship play-offs, wouldn’t be short of suitors.

Thelwell added: “The reality is that’s what it’ll look like. From our perspective a lot of those players were out on loan last season.

“It’s going to be something similar if we want to hold on to a leaner squad it’s not beneficial for those guys to be sat at our training ground not playing any games.

“A lot of those guys have proved they’re really good players and they deserve better than that.

“Ben Marshall’s been outstanding for Millwall and a massive part of their promotion push this season.

“I’m sure players like him and others who have also done well will have a lot of suitors.”