It seems like the bad news just won’t stop coming for Wolverhampton Wanderers this season.
It really has been a season full of setbacks, the latest being another serious knee injury to Jonny Castro Otto.
The Spaniard is facing another lengthy spell on the sidelines having injured both his ACL and MCL in training on Sunday.
It is a hammer blow for Jonny, who had only returned a couple of months ago to show some great form for Wolves.
He will now undergo another period of rehabilitation, and Nuno Espirito Santo will need to settle on a replacement.
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Rayan Ait-Nouri was the man who got the nod against the Hammers last night, which was his first league start since the defeat to West Bromwich Albion on January 16.
Given the injury struggles of Fernando Marcal, it’s quite possible that Ait-Nouri will be Nuno’s go-to until the end of the season – meaning a great chance for him to prove himself worthy of a permanent transfer.
Ait-Nouri’s critical period
Right now, most Wolves fans would probably say Ait-Nouri isn’t worth spending £20 million (his reported buy option, (Express & Star) on this summer.
But with Jonny out of the picture, it’s a golden chance for him to seal a permanent move to Molineux.
It is clear the £37,000-a-week player (Spotrac) has big potential, and he’s brilliant at getting forwards and has fantastic, quick feet.
But there have been question marks about the defensive side of his game and his positioning – something not out of the ordinary for young full-backs.
If he can cast those doubts aside in the final eight games then he’ll give himself a great chance.