Wolverhampton Wanderers will be hoping to build on their impressive time of things in the 2023/24 season.

They have found out who their opening game will be against; they will have a very tough trip to the Emirates Stadium to face Arsenal. That was a fixture they narrowly lost last term, coming out on the wrong side of a 2-1 defeat.

Their first fixture at Molineux is equally as difficult, and potentially something of an unknown quantity. Gary O’Neil and his side will host Chelsea, who have new boss Enzo Maresca coaching just his second Premier League game. Wolves won this fixture 2-1 last season, with a late Matt Doherty goal securing the win before an even later Christopher Nkunku strike could have spoiled the party.

O’Neil could well need to turn to the transfer market to strengthen his squad in order to improve on their 14th-place finish last term. Already, they have made one signing, hijacking a deal to sign Brazilian youngster Pedro Lima off Chelsea.

However, they could also be set to lose some key players this summer. Already, one of their star men, who is currently away at Euro 2024, is being linked with a move away from the club.

Wolves could lose star player

The player in question here is Wolves’ Portuguese winger Pedro Neto, who made his first appearance at a major tournament on Tuesday with Portugal, assisting his country's winning goal. Now, he is a wanted man this summer and could depart Molineux if the right offer arrives.

At least, that is according to a report from GIVEMESPORT. They report that Arsenal 'could choose to revive their interest' in the 24-year-old winger after a deal for primary target Benjamin Sesko fell through. The Slovenian chose to sign a new deal with RB Leipzig rather than switch to the Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal are confident a deal to sign Neto can be struck this summer, and there is “belief among Wolves insiders” that the winger will depart. However, Euro 2024 has done Arsenal no favours, with the tournament 'scuppering their chances of conducting early business'.

John Percy of The Telegraph reported at the end of May that Wolves would need at least £60m to sell Neto this summer. That price came off the back of reports linking the winger to Manchester City and Newcastle United over the summer, too, suggesting Arsenal could face competition.

Why Neto would be a big loss

If Wolves were to move Neto on this summer, it would be a sale that would be felt throughout the squad. Football talent scout Jacek Kulig described him as a “fantastic player” last season, which was certainly reflected in his impressive form for the Midlands club.

Neto was on fire during the 20 games he played for Wolves in the Premier League. He scored twice and registered nine assists, as well as chipping in with one goal and two assists in four FA Cup games for his side.

However, the 24-year-old struggled with injuries once again. It has been an issue that has affected him for some time, and last season he missed a sizeable chunk of fixtures for both Wolves and Portugal. Due to a recurring hamstring injury, the winger sat out 19 games in total between October and December and then March and May.

Should Wolves lose Neto over the summer, he could be a bigger loss than Matheus Cunha, who himself enjoyed a superb campaign in 2023/24.

The Brazilian hinted at a move away recently, with a video surfacing online of him suggesting he is open to a move to Manchester United. He said “the window is open, you never know” when being asked about a move to Old Trafford. The Mirror have previously claimed a move could be on the cards for around £60m.

Cunha scored 12 goals and registered seven assists in 32 Premier League games last season. The Brazilian ended 2023/24 as the Wolves player with the most goal involvements in the top flight.

However, losing Neto could well be a worse loss for the Molineux side. His profile is completely unique in the squad, with him being a fast, direct winger who is confident in taking defenders on and thrives in one-vs-one situations.

This is not really a profile that they have in the rest of the squad, and it is very important in the transitional football O’Neil’s side plays.

Losing Neto this summer would be a big blow to Wolves, given how hard it is to replace him. He is an integral player for O’Neil, and should he depart, it could make the 2024/25 campaign an uphill battle.

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