Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo refuses to rule out Patrick Cutrone loan exit

The Italy international has been heavily linked with a switch to Udinese just weeks after returning to Wolves following an unhappy spell at Fiorentina.

Cutrone, who has since failed to net in four appearances for Nuno’s men, was recalled to help bolster a forward department struggling to cope with the loss of Raul Jimenez.

Wolves have since added Willian Jose to the ranks meaning Cutrone’s future is back in the balance.

Asked whether he might leave before Monday’s 11pm deadline, Nuno replied: “We have to wait. The intention of recalling Patrick was because we needed him and because he himself was not in a good position in Florence.

“So we decided to call him back and now I count on him. He is working and he is training, anything can happen so let’s wait and see.

“As long as the window is open anything can happen. The deadline is Monday. Until then let’s see.”

Cutrone was an unused substitute in Wednesday’s 0-0 draw at Chelsea, with Jose making his debut off the bench.

The latter, who has joined on an initial loan deal from Real Sociedad, is ready to play a bigger role at Crystal Palace on Saturday after spending the last two days training with his team-mates.

But Wolves will be without wideman Rayan Ait-Nouri for the trip to Selhurst Park, while Nuno hinted at further injury concerns for his team.

Ait-Nouri was due to undergo a scan on a thigh injury sustained during the first half of Wednesday’s match at Stamford Bridge. In more positive news, Morgan Gibbs-White has returned to training having missed two matches while isolating after returning a positive test for Covid-19.

Nuno said: "During the first half on Wednesday we lost Rayan, it was his left adductor. He still has to undergo a scan and an MRI but we have to see.

"We still have problems, big problems. We have some more issues which I don’t want to give details. I’d rather keep it among us and try to take advantage of some kind of surprise but we have issues which we must try to solve with the squad.

"Willian is a good player, he’s integrated well, he’s had a couple of training sessions, so he’s one more option and one more solution for us because we need as many as possible.

"He is ready to go (at Palace). Now, it’s up to us to decide and take advantage of the enormous talent that he has as a striker.”