One Wolves player reportedly looked impressively fit during a ‘brutal’ running session in Marbella this morning.
Gary O’Neil is putting his players through their paces in the scorching Spanish sunshine at the moment, as he bids to prepare them for the 2024/25 season.
Temperatures are in their mid-thirties at the moments, so the players are definitely being made to work extremely hard.
29 players travelled out and for many of them, it’s a chance to impress the manager and perhaps earn a place in the first-team squad for the coming season.
One man who’s probably still unlikely to be in Wolves’ squad next season is Daniel Podence, who really impressed journalists Nathan Judah and Liam Keen this morning.
Luke Cundle wins ‘brutal’ Wolves running session but Daniel Podence looked impressively fit
Podence is a player not many really expected to be a part of Wolves’ pre-season.
The forward made some comments at the end of last season to suggest that he wasn’t particularly keen to return, having spent 2023/24 on loan at Olympiacos.
But he’s there with everyone, and earlier this week it was claimed by E&S journalist Nathan Judah and Liam Keen that Podence was looking impressive on the ball and really sharp.
And it isn’t just his ball skills that have impressed – it’s his fitness too.
The players were out training again this morning and, after about an hour or so of 7-a-side games, O’Neil had them doing a running session. Luke Cundle – who spent last season on loan at Plymouth Argyle and then Stoke City – was the winner, and Podence also looked very good.
Keen said (via E&S): “Right at the front, Daniel Podence. Leading it pretty much from the beginning. Almost start to finish.
Judah: “He looks in great shape.
Keen: “Yeah, he looks in top shape. Luke Cundle, right at the front, Sarabia, right at the front. Hugo Bueno and Lima were up there. Ait-Nouri was roughly around there as well.
“Cundle ended up winning it in the end. Podence had it in the bag, and his last little lap I don’t think he cared about winning really, he just sort of trodded over the line. Coasting is the right word and I’ll tell you why – brutal session.”
Podence could be handy for Wolves
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It is very much sounding as though Podence is in fine fettle at the moment.
But seemingly, he is still likely to be leaving this summer.
It will be interesting to see how it works out with him. You would imagine that O’Neil is hoping to keep him around, otherwise he would have been kept away from pre-season like Goncalo Guedes and Fabio Silva.
But £17 million signing Podence seemed to love his time with Olympiacos and him reportedly buying a house does point to him moving there permanently.
It is a bit of a shame. Because Podence is a brilliant player on his day and could be a great option for Wolves in 2024/25.