The 2025/26 Premier League season kicks off at Molineux on Saturday, but not everyone is feeling optimistic.
Wolves’ pre-season results weren’t encouraging, but the friendlies meant far more than the scorelines.
That being said, Wolves showed many red flags in pre-season, losing in poor fashion on their return to Molineux against Celta Vigo.
Vitor Pereira has a lot of work to do, both tactically and most prominently, in the transfer window, with a lot of gaps evident in the Wolves squad.
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Peter Crouch makes Wolves relegation claim
Wolves fans are already worried about the season as the Old Gold are struggling to get their desired transfer targets over the line.
The club’s owners, Fosun, have been warned about the ‘safety net’ in the Premier League, as the gap between the top-flight and the Championship is more evident than ever.
That didn’t allow Wolves to escape a relegation battle last season, which is something Peter Crouch believes could happen this term.
Speaking to TNT Sports to give his predictions for the upcoming season, Crouch admitted that while he thinks the three promoted teams will go back down, Wolves are in trouble.
“Very difficult for the three promoted teams who have come up to stay up, I think Wolves might struggle this year,” Crouch said.
“I think that’s the team that could be closest if any of the three will stay up, it’ll be Burnley, but I have to say, I think the three who come up will go down.”
The pundit didn’t elaborate on why he thinks Wolves could be candidates for relegation, but in some regard, his statement needed no explanation.
Wolves have been stripped bare of star quality
Year by year, Wolves have lost key names from the squad.
There was a mass exodus in 2023, but exciting star talent remained in the squad, with Matheus Cunha, Pedro Neto and co staying put.
In 2024, it was time for Neto to move on, taking his goal threat with him, but Cunha remained.
This summer, Cunha, Rayan Ait-Nouri, Nelson Semedo, Pablo Sarabia and Goncalo Guedes have departed, five players who recorded a combined 47 goal contributions last season in the Premier League.
That’s contributions to 87% of Wolves’ Premier League goals last season gone.
There remains star quality in the squad, but with regard to where the goals are coming from, Pereira’s options are incredibly scarce.