Wolves could yet make a move for a new goalkeeper this summer, but it is something Gary O’Neil is nowhere near as keen on as his predecessor Julen Lopetegui.
Jose Sa has been Wolves’ number one now since he signed as a replacement for Rui Patricio in the summer of 2021.
Sa completed a £7 million move from Olympiacos, and fans were blown away by his performances for Wanderers in his debut season, after which he was named Wolves’ Player of the Season.
But Sa struggled to match those very high standards in his second season.
It’s been a bit of a mixed bag this time around for Sa, with some continuing to question his ball-playing ability.
Some wonder if the club may look to potentially try and find an upgrade on him this summer – but that doesn’t seem too likely given what journalist Liam Keen has said…
Wolves unlikely to make move for new goalkeeper this summer, O’Neil likes Jose Sa more than Lopetegui
A Wolves fan sent in a question about whether the club could move for a new goalkeeper this summer on the latest Express & Star podcast.
In recent months, Sa has actually been linked with a move away from the club, with Nottingham Forest reportedly keen, as well as clubs in Saudi Arabia.
But the player did sign a new deal back in September, suggesting Wolves are fairly happy with him.
O’Neil is said to be much more set on Sa than Julen Lopetegui was, although Keen has said a move for a new goalkeeper cannot totally be ruled out.
He said: “I definitely wouldn’t rule it out. Probably the biggest change since the summer is Julen Lopetegui has gone and Gary O’Neil has come in and I think Lopetegui was fairly keen to make a change there. I don’t think Gary O’Neil is anywhere near as keen.
“Of course, we’ve also had a new contract for Sa. I definitely wouldn’t say it’s not going to happen and it’s something Wolves definitely explored previously. But O’Neil seems more settled with Sa so I wouldn’t expect him to be forced out any time soon.”
Wolves should explore the market
It is surely worth Wolves having a look around the market this summer to see if there’s anyone who could come in and be an upgrade on Sa.
Sa is a great shot-stopper. But question marks remain over his distribution and ball-playing ability.
The 31-year-old can be rash at times, and he has a tendency to sometimes put his defenders under unnecessary pressure.
If O’Neil wants his side to be better at playing out from the back, then the recruitment team surely need to look at other options.