Gary O'Neil gives verdict on Wolves' loan stars
Gary O’Neil says he only wants players who are desperate to play for Wolves as he prepares to make decisions on the club’s loaned out stars.
Fabio Silva, Goncalo Guedes and Daniel Podence are among a number of players who left the club temporarily to get minutes elsewhere.
Various reports have suggested that many of them may leave Wolves permanently in the coming months and with Wolves needing to generate some funds, they could offer much-needed cash.
But O’Neil says he will address each loan player individually to determine their future.
O’Neil was asked specifically about Silva’s future, but instead answered it with a general point about the future of loaned out players.
He said: “Everyone that’s away from here on loan, their situation will be looked at individually.
“But the first thing for me is that they need to want to play for Wolves.
“I’m not going to be sitting there trying to convince people to play for this football club. It’s a fantastic football club and I want people who want to play here.
“That’s what we have at this moment. Everyone in our group wants to play here. Discussions will be had with the guys that come back.
“One of the main reasons we’ve had success we’ve had is the culture and togetherness.
“If they want to be part of that, come back and we’ll have a look. Anyone that doesn’t will obviously be moved on.”
One player who will be with Wolves next season is Sasa Kalajdzic, who is recovering from a serious knee injury.
The 26-year-old signed for £15.4million in the summer of 2022, before suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury less than 45 minutes into his debut.
A lengthy spell on the sidelines saw him return to action at the beginning of this season and limited minutes then saw him he depart on loan for German club Eintracht Frankfurt.
But a second serious injury, this time to the other knee, means he has had another surgery and will be sidelined until around January 2025.
“I’ve spoken to Sasa and his rehab has gone well so far, no hiccups at all,” O’Neil said.
“There’s obviously a long way to go and he’s letting it heal while trying to make sure he maintains some strength.
“I know he’ll be desperate to get back as quickly as possible, but it is a significant injury and there’s no rush.
“We’re trying to make sure that he comes back in the best shape possible and I know he’s getting fantastic support from the medical team.
“I’m keen to see him back training. Seeing the impact he could have on a few games, although he wasn’t fit at the start, I was looking forward to seeing him come back fitter and stronger next season.
“It’s disappointing for us and him that he suffered the injury, but I’m sure he’ll bounce back and come back stronger.”
