Wolves will be hoping for a strong summer transfer window as Gary O’Neil bids to strengthen his squad, however, one star could act as a new signing based on his recent form.
With nine games remaining of the 2023/24 Premier League, Wolves will be eyeing a top-10 finish to round off an impressive season under Gary O’Neil.
Going into the campaign, there was little hope that the Old Gold would avoid a relegation battle considering their limited squad depth after a summer of key sales, however, the Englishman has defied the odds.
It’s set to be a busy summer following the shortfalls of last year’s transfer window, with the manager hoping to make a number of changes to his side although, he could save Fosun millions by unearthing one starlet.
Wolves loanee Ki-Jana Hoever has had an impressive week in the Championship
One of the Old Gold’s most impressive talents currently on loan is Ki-Jana Hoever, who has had a week to remember in the Championship.
The 22-year-old was sent on loan to Stoke City in the summer for the season, returning to the Bet365 Stadium after spending half of the 2022/23 campaign there as a loanee.
Playing at right-back for the Potters, the Dutchman has been integral to providing quality to Steven Schumacher’s side in what has been a difficult season in the second tier.
Yesterday, Hoever was lauded as “superb” by commentator Michael McCann for scoring a sumptuous goal against Huddersfield Town, netting his third goal of the Championship campaign in a typically strong performance from the Wolves starlet.
His goal against the Terriers wasn’t the only high point that the former Liverpool youngster has experienced in the past seven days, as he also scored in the fixture prior against Hull City during Stoke’s 2-0 win.
From providing strong defensive cover to having the versatility to provide a presence in the final third, Hoever has been consistently impressive for the Potters, giving O’Neil something to consider in the summer.
Ki-Jana Hoever could have a decisive summer at Wolves
Signed by Nuno Espirito Santo for an initial £9m from Liverpool back in 2020, the versatile defender has only secured 25 senior appearances for Wolves over his four-year association with the club.
If O’Neil has taken a look at the Dutchman’s performances whilst on loan at Stoke, the manager will surely have something to think about when it comes to determining whether the 22-year-old has a future at Molineux.
Deployable in a range of positions with his most dominant role being at right-back, Wolves could see Hoever’s return as a new signing considering just the impact he’s had in the Championship.
That being said, there is also a discussion to be had in terms of whether the 2002-born star will have a chance of breaking into the Old Gold’s squad as soon as next season, with Nelson Semedo playing arguably his best football since arriving in the Midlands.
It’s expected that the youngster would be considered a more viable option to being Semedo’s back-up than Matt Doherty although, given the quality he’s shown at Stoke, will he want to be second place at Molineux?
There’s no denying that Hoever has the ability to give O’Neil another option of a flying right-wing-back, with the summer and pre-season poised to be potentially definitive when it comes to deciding the next steps in the Dutchman’s career.