Yesterday morning Wolves played out a very feisty friendly with Spanish side Levante.
Wanderers were back at their training camp, having took on Deportivo Alaves the night before.
Bruno Lage made a host of changes to the starting XI as expected, and Morgan Gibbs-White was handed the captain’s armband.
That was something of a surprise, given both Leander Dendoncker and Daniel Podence were starting.
The duo are established first-team players and might have been the favourites to lead the team.
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But Lage named Gibbs-White as his skipper, perhaps in a bid to show the 22-year-old how highly he regards him.
And it became apparent after that first-half that Gibbs-White is very much a leader.
Tackles were flying in from the off from the Levante players.
Just before half-time, a strong challenge went in on Yerson Mosquera, who reacted angrily.
He had already been challenged a couple of times, and the Colombian youngster did not appreciate this latest one from Enis Bardhi.
As Mosquera squared up to Bardhi and another Levante player, Gibbs-White raced over to the scuffle to his teammate. He barged one of the Levante players, who was making a beeline for Mosquera, out of the way, before ushering the Wolves defender away.
Minutes later, another scuffle broke out after Daniel Podence had got caught in a tangle.
Podence was outnumbered, with Gibbs-White absolutely sprinting over to break things up once again. Leander Dendoncker also hurried over and deserves credit.
It was a great to see from Gibbs-White, and it is a clear suggestion that he is now a much more mature player who has leadership qualities.
Gibbs-White has developed in so many ways since this time last year, Wolves simply must keep him
Gibbs-White was a credit to Wolves yesterday with how he acted during a very heated situation.
Things were threatening to spill over, and it’s possible Mosquera and/or Podence could have gotten hurt in the melees.
Gibbs-White racing over to defend his teammates showed that he is a real leader.
Clearly, his hasn’t just developed his actual football skills during his time away from Wolves.
He has grown as a person, and Wolves simply cannot lose him this summer, amid ongoing transfer speculation. Wanderers are said to be value him at around £30 million.
But Wanderers have already lost three leaders in John Ruddy, Fernando Marcal and Romain Saiss. It would be a massive shame if Gibbs-White ultimately departed, because it seems he is another leader emerging.