Since becoming the new Wolves manager in December, Vitor Pereira hasn’t been afraid to make the big decisions.
Once Mario Lemina refused to play against Newcastle, he made it clear there was no way back for the Gabon international.
Galatasaray then completed a £2.5m transfer for Lemina, ending his two years at Molineux, much to the delight of many Wolves fans.
Pereira also persuaded Matheus Cunha to sign a new contract amid transfer speculation from some of the biggest clubs in England, including Arsenal and Manchester United.
Cunha is now set to play a vital role in firing Wolves to survival this term but unfortunately, the same can’t be said for Craig Dawson.
| Position | Team | Played MP | Won W | Drawn D | Lost L | For GF | Against GA | Diff GD | Points Pts |
| 15 |  EvertonEverton | 24 | 6 | 9 | 9 | 25 | 30 | -5 | 27 |
| 16 |  West HamWest Ham | 24 | 7 | 6 | 11 | 29 | 46 | -17 | 27 |
| 17 |  WolvesWolves | 24 | 5 | 4 | 15 | 34 | 52 | -18 | 19 |
| 18 |  LeicesterLeicester | 24 | 4 | 5 | 15 | 25 | 53 | -28 | 17 |
| 19 |  IpswichIpswich | 24 | 3 | 7 | 14 | 22 | 49 | -27 | 16 |
- READ MORE: What Gary O’Neil revealed about Craig Dawson makes Wolves contract situation understandable
Vitor Pereira banishes Craig Dawson from first-team training
It emerged last week that Wolves were in talks to terminate Dawson’s contract. Pereira has rarely used the 34-year-old since he arrived, and with his contract expiring in the summer, he didn’t see him featuring in his plans.
Dawson was left out of the Premier League squad alongside long-term absentees Sasa Kalajdzic and Yerson Mosquera, with the veteran seeing no way back at Molineux.
Now, the Wolves manager has banished the centre-back from first-team training altogether, explaining his decision via the E&S.
“I had the conversation (with him) before and after that I haven’t see him again. What I have to say about Craig, I said before.
“He’s not part of the group and now it’s something between him and the club.”
Pereira’s decision to axe Dawson from the team will divide opinion, as the Englishman was a crucial player under Gary O’Neil but he’s now experienced a sad decline at Wolves.
Wolves have acted well in the transfer window
Dawson is arguably one of Fosun’s most important signings. He was captured for just £3m from West Ham in January 2023 and played a vital role under Julen Lopetegui.
Wolves survived in the 2022/23 campaign and despite only arriving midway through, Dawson played 17 times in the Premier League.
The veteran deserves credit for helping his team through a difficult period but now it’s clear Pereira is looking towards the future, and his business during the transfer window is commendable.
Wolves have struck gold with the £16.6m signing of Emmanuel Agbadou, who has already won a Player of the Month award, whilst Nasser Djiga looks a promising capture from Red Star Belgrade.
Agbadou and Djiga are set to become long-term fixtures in Pereira’s defence, leaving no space for Dawson, whose career at Wolves will end on a sour note.