Santiago Bueno has endured a somewhat difficult campaign at Wolves, with the Uruguayan now opening up on his struggles in 2024/25.
Bueno has gone from being a regular fixture in the Wolves’ defence under Gary O’Neil to being used sporadically under Vitor Pereira.
The 26-year-old started in nine of his side’s first 16 matches with O’Neil in charge this term, and then played 90 minutes in each of Pereira’s first seven matches at Molineux.
Unfortunately, since the 2-1 defeat to Fulham in November, where Bueno’s physicality was questioned, the Uruguayan has started once, the 1-0 win over Manchester United in April.
With the emergence of Matt Doherty as a centre-back and the colossal presence of Emmanuel Agbadou, the defender has since opened up on his struggles after falling down the pecking order.
Santiago Bueno explains why he finds the Premier League ‘difficult’
Wolves fans have never been convinced by Bueno, seeing him fall below the standards physically and lose battles against powerful centre-forwards.
O’Neil pinpointed Bueno’s strength as a problem after the defeat to West Ham in December, and that is ultimately why he’s been cast into the shadows.
It isn’t just physically where the former Girona man falls short, though, as he’s also guilty of switching off and losing concentration.
Speaking to ESPN Deportes, Bueno explained how the fast-paced football in the Premier League has been a problem for him, citing how he gets distracted easily as an issue.
“For the spectator, the Premier League is one of the most beautiful to watch, not only because of the environment, but also because of the number of goals and chances that arise. It’s a very vertical type of football,” he said.
“From the inside, it’s sometimes difficult to control the game, and at times you suffer, but we try to enjoy it and appreciate where we are. The reality is that the level of competition is very high; you always have to be alert and focused, because any distraction ends in a goal.”
Wolves with and without Santiago Bueno since Vitor Pereira joined
It’s safe to say that Wolves have seen immense improvements defensively under Pereira, and it’s no coincidence they’ve happened since Bueno hasn’t been a regular fixture.
At the start of the campaign, the Old Gold had one of the worst defences in the Premier League, experiencing problems under O’Neil.
Now, they’re much more difficult to beat, and this is highlighted by how many goals they conceded with Bueno in defence versus without him since Pereira joined.
| Wolves with Santiago Bueno | Statistics | Wolves without Santiago Bueno |
| 10 | Matches started | 9 |
| 4 | Wins | 6 |
| 14 | Goals conceded | 10 |
| 4 | Clean sheets | 3 |
Bueno could leave Wolves this summer as it’s clear he isn’t a prominent figure in Pereira’s plans, especially with Yerson Mosquera returning in pre-season.