The new season is just days away, and Wolves fans are gearing up for a tough first game against Arsenal.
There is much more stability this time around compared to last year, when Gary O’Neil had only just come as Julen Lopetegui’s replacement.
The manager has overseen a productive pre-season, and the club have so far brought in three new faces – Rodrigo Gomes, Pedro Lima and Jorgen Strand Larsen.
But the club have been quiet in the transfer market for the last month, and Max Kilman and Pedro Neto have both been sold.
Some are feeling a little nervous – former Molineux full-back Lee Naylor included.
It is going to be a fascinating season for sure – and Paul Merson has now given his thoughts about Wolves ahead of 2024/25.
Paul Merson drops prediction about Wolves for 2024/25
There were some exciting signs about Wolves last season.
Despite having no time at all to work with the players in pre-season, O’Neil came in and got everyone to buy into him almost immediately.
He masterminded some fantastic results, and also got Wolves playing some great football at times.
Wolves might have finished higher than 14th had they had the rub of the green with some contentious VAR decisions. Injuries also really stung Wolves in the second half of the season.
Despite those promising signs though, Paul Merson feels Wolves could struggle in 2024/25.
He said (Sportskeeda): “Wolves punched above their weight in the Premier League last season, but fizzled out towards the end.”
After talking about the ‘bad sell’ of Pedro Neto to Chelsea, Merson added: “This could be a season where they finish bottom half of the league table.
“Wolves won’t get relegated. But I don’t see them hitting the heights they did last season.”
A big few weeks for Wolves
There was great optimism within the fanbase around a month ago, with the team looking really good in pre-season.
But the mood has shifted slightly following the sale of Pedro Neto and the general lull recently in the transfer market.
Wolves have made three positive additions, and also signed Tommy Doyle permanently. But there is now a feeling that O’Neil still need two or three more recruits. Undoubtedly, sporting director Matt Hobbs will be working away behind the scenes with his recruitment team.
Certainly, a solid, experienced centre-half should be a priority.
The club also may need to replace players who leave that they don’t currently expect to lose.