Fer Lopez has arguably been the best of Wolves’ summer signings so far.
It has been an awful start to the 2025/26 season, with Wolves losing their first five Premier League games, and fans are already fearing the worst.
Some have pointed to the recruitment as the main reason why Wolves are struggling.
The likes of Matheus Cunha, Rayan Ait-Nouri and Pablo Sarabia all left the club, and the six new signings that have come in are all essentially gambles.
Fer Lopez was the first of those six signings – and arguably so far, he has looked the best of the bunch.
But against Leeds United on Saturday, although he did grab a good assist, he did struggle and was brought off at half-time by Vitor Pereira.
And now, Dave Edwards has advised the manager on how Lopez should be deployed going forwards.
Dave Edwards thinks Fer Lopez should be a sole number 10 for Wolves
Wolves tend to play with a 3-4-3 formation, that uses two number 10s behind one striker.
Last term, those number 10 spots were occupied mostly by Matheus Cunha on the left, and then Jean-Ricner Bellegarde or Pablo Sarabia on the right, before Marshall Munetsi arrived at the club and started playing there.
Most of Lopez’s minutes so far have come as the right number 10.
But Edwards feels that, at this stage of the Spaniard’s development, he should be playing centrally as an advanced midfielder, which would require Pereira to tweak his system slightly.
Edwards said on the E&S: “Jean-Ricner Bellegarde and Fer Lopez both really struggled as the two number 10s. If Lopez is going to play in that role in this team you feel he is going to have to play as a number 10 in a midfield three.
“If Wolves are going to play 3-4-3, then he can’t play on either of the sides at this moment in his development.
“He gives you so much from an attacking perspective, but they cannot afford to carry anyone defensively, which is what they are doing with him.”
Food for thought for Vitor Pereira
It will be very interesting to see if Pereira does consider doing this with Lopez, who Edwards has warned could frustrate Wolves fans with his direct style of play.
Wolves primarily recruited with the 3-4-3 system in mind, but we have also seen a few times now when Pereira has gone to a 3-5-2. This system uses a third midfielder and another striker, at the expense of the two number 10s.
Wolves obviously didn’t sign a new midfielder in the summer, but Lopez showed against Everton he can be comfortable in central positions.
After the game Jack Grealish could even be seen praising Lopez, so maybe Pereira could get some joy by using him in the middle more, as the most advanced midfielder.