Express & Star

Next Wolves boss to have say on loanee trio

Wolves are flexible on the futures of their three loanees and will give their new manager a chance to assess them, the Express & Star understands.

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Wolves' loanees (Photos: AMA)

Striker Willian Jose, full-back Rayan Ait-Nouri and midfielder Vitinha all joined on temporary deals for last season but their futures remain uncertain with Wolves searching for a new boss.

The club have options to sign all three of them permanently, for £22million, £20million and £18million respectively, but it is also understood that Wolves are not bound to those fees and have room to negotiate lower prices if they decide to sign any of the three players.

Ait-Nouri has appeared 24 times for Wolves this season and has steadily improved, while Vitinha has played 22 times in all competitions and began to make his mark towards the end of the season.

Both players are young, aged 19 and 21 respectively, and are highly rated but with the club needing to be ‘creative’ in the summer transfer window it remains to be seen whether they would be signed permanently for the full amount.

Jose, meanwhile, scored once in 18 games and often disappointed with his displays. At 29-years-old, and with Raul Jimenez returning and Fabio Silva still developing, Jose is unlikely to return to Molineux.

However, the futures of all three players is not yet determined with the club still searching for a manager.

Wolves held talks with Bruno Lage this week, while discrete enquiries have also reportedly been made for Frank Lampard. The new boss is expected to be announced within two weeks and the Express & Star understands they will have a say in the futures of the loan players.

The Wolves hierarchy will hold their own views on the three loanees, too, and will make their decision after a new manager is appointed.