There are expected to be exits at Molineux before deadline day however, Gary O’Neil must remain firm when it comes to one Wolves player.
Wolves are preparing for the second friendly of their pre-season tour of the United States, as the Old Gold face Crystal Palace in the early hours of Thursday morning.
Gary O’Neil will be thrilled to have the chance to review his squad in preparation for the 2024/25 calendar, after arriving late at the club last summer.
The manager has been able to get an idea of how his squad could look next term, with key changes set to be made to the starting XI.
Wolves warned to be wary of Villarreal’s interest in Yerson Mosquera
One significant change that fans will see next season is in defence, as former club captain Max Kilman joined West Ham.
Fortunately for O’Neil, a successor to the Englishman could already be in the ranks, as Yerson Mosquera returned to his parent club after a successful loan at Villarreal.
While there has been some speculation regarding Villarreal’s interest in signing Mosquera permanently, it’s understood that the Wolves boss wants to properly review the defender before making a decision.
After impressing in the early stages of pre-season, it looks as though O’Neil will integrate Mosquera into his first team next term although, Wolves should not let their guard down yet.
Reports in Spain coming from El Periodico Mediterraneo claim that Villarreal have not given up their pursuit of the centre-back and still have hope in luring him back to LaLiga.
The report outlines the belief that Mosquera gave a ‘wink’ to his loan club after expressing his delight at how the 2023/24 season went for him in Spain.
The decision will of course come down to O’Neil and ultimately what the player wants but theoretically, the manager should have just one answer in response to interest.
Gary O’Neil can’t afford to lose Mosquera this summer
Last season, Wolves were extremely low on defensive depth, with Kilman, Toti Gomes, Santi Bueno and Craig Dawson being the only centre-backs available to the manager.
Now that Kilman has departed, a player who played every minute of the Premier League season, O’Neil cannot afford to lose another body.
When it comes to Mosquera, the 23-year-old is far more than just an addition to the depth at Molineux, with the early signs of his time in O’Neil’s squad suggesting that the club have got very lucky this summer.
Journalist Nathan Judah dubbed Mosquera a “Rolls-Royce” during Wolves’ pre-season friendly victory over Como, telling of what he could offer to the defence next term.
It’s not every summer that a loan player returns in form and ready to fill a void however, such luck has been found at Wolves and must not be forfeited in the transfer market.
Villarreal are unlikely to have the funds necessary to pry Mosquera from O’Neil’s grasp and equally, the manager must not allow the Spanish outfit to even get so close.
It will be interesting to see how Mosquera’s future plays out this summer and particularly interesting to learn what’s in store for the Colombian in the Premier League.