Wolves are preparing for the eagerly anticipated 2024/25 season opener against Arsenal on Saturday afternoon.
Gary O’Neil would have preferred a less complicated fixture to open the Premier League campaign however, a trip to the Emirates is on the cards to kick off Wolves’ season.
The manager will be encouraged by what he has seen in pre-season from his squad, giving him a lot to think about ahead of selecting his starting XI to face the Gunners.
One issue that O’Neil now has to solve is who will replace Pedro Neto on the right side of attack, as the winger joined Chelsea for £54m this week.
Pablo Sarabia warned of Wolves competition ahead of Arsenal clash
With Neto now out of the picture, the obvious choice to replace the 24-year-old would be Pablo Sarabia, who assumed such role in the Portugal international’s absence in pre-season.
That being said, the Spaniard has now been warned of some ‘trouble’ he could face over the 2024/25 campaign, as journalist Liam Keen looked ahead to the opening day on The Keen & Judah Show.
Speaking about possible replacements for Neto in the starting line up, Keen said:
“You’ve got Bellegarde, you’ve got Hwang and particularly when Matheus Cunha comes back, the competition that Hwang provides, the different positions will put pressure on a lot of players.
“Rodrigo Gomes has been playing out on the left but if Wolves were to bring another player in and you have the opportunity to mix and match on the left and right with out and out wingers, that gives O’Neil a big decision to make and Pablo Sarabia potentially a little bit of trouble.”
While the Wolves reporter backed Sarabia to start against Arsenal, the reservations over the 32-year-old’s claim to the starting XI could become more fragile as the season progresses.
Arsenal test could be Sarabia’s biggest chance to impress
Now that it’s clear that O’Neil is scanning the market for a Neto replacement in attack, Sarabia’s playing time at Molineux could become more limited.
While it’s not a bad thing for Wolves, who will have the former PSG ace available to provide depth, the attacker could struggle to tie down consistent game time.
The opening day against Arsenal could be seen as Sarabia’s chance to impress O’Neil enough to give him a run in the starting XI before deadline day, with arrivals expected to replenish the front line.
Keen’s concerns over the £4m player’s stance in the squad ring true, regardless of whether Wolves capture a player to directly replace Neto in the favoured XI.
It will be interesting to see how O’Neil’s lines his squad up at the Emirates, with Matheus Cunha’s fitness something for Sarabia to keep a close eye on in North London.