Wolves have long been keen to get Gary O’Neil signed up to a new and improved contract at Molineux – and there is now word on when they hope to do that by.
O’Neil has proven to be a fantastic scoop by Wolves.
He came in one year ago, replacing Julen Lopetegui just days before the start of the 2023/24 campaign.
He was right up against it from the off. But O’Neil surprised many, and guided Wolves to a very respectable 14th-placed finish in the Premier League. Wolves were actually very unlucky to finish that low down, after some awful VAR decisions and injuries to key players.
There is real optimism heading into the new campaign after a productive pre-season so far.
Earlier this week, O’Neil spoke about his future at Molineux and the talks about a new contract, and a report has now suggested when he might sign.
Wolves want O’Neil to sign new contract before the 2024/25 season starts
It has been reported by The Sun today (print edition, 04/08, pg. 55) that Wolves are keen to get O’Neil signed up to a new contract by the start of the 2024/25 season.
Wolves’ first game is against Arsenal on August 17.
There is real confidence in O’Neil to get Wolves back to where they need to be, which is in and around the European places.
He did brilliant work in his first season after coming in so late and then dealing with a lot of issues during the campaign.
Wolves are keen to reward O’Neil with a big pay rise according to The Sun. It has previously been reported that O’Neil’s prospective new deal would also include a ‘significant’ buyout clause.
O’Neil himself does not foresee any issues regarding the situation, saying earlier this week: “I am unbelievably happy at Wolves. And I love what Wolves have done for me and I’m loving what I’m trying to do for Wolves.
“Me and the club are really aligned on what we want to do. It shouldn’t be a problem. I don’t envisage it being a problem. I don’t want to speak on behalf of the club but just on my side, (I’m) more than happy to extend how long I’m going to be here.”
O’Neil contract extension will provide a huge boost
It sounds very much as though O’Neil signing a new contract at Wolves is a question of when and not if.
His comments earlier this week felt fairly significant, and it is plainly obvious he is really happy at the club and is extremely focused on the project.
It would be fantastic if an announcement was made before the start of the new season, and provide the fans and players with an even bigger lift.
But Wolves fans surely need not have any worries given what he has said. He will surely sign very soon, and hopefully he can start to build something special at the club.