Wolves blog: Fosun’s first phase is complete

Although it was a bit of a strange one, officially getting promoted without kicking a ball, the chance to celebrate it with a win over Blues was welcomed by a sell-out crowd at Molineux, writes Wolves blogger Tom Tracey.

But compared to the 2009 win, which saw pitch invasions at Molineux against QPR and again when the title was confirmed away at Barnsley the following week, this feels like the first step on a journey rather than the end goal.

Nine years ago, the promotion and title win was the biggest high we knew we would get, expecting relegation battles to follow in the coming seasons.

While we hoped in 2009 that Wolves would be able to kick on and establish themselves as a mid- table team, we all knew full well Wolves would be competing to stay out of those bottom three positions for at least the first few years.

Thanks to Portsmouth going into administration and the subsequent points deduction, there was only really two danger spots in that first season – and Wolves, achieving the fabled points total of 38 which so often means safety, managed to finish three quarters of the way up the table in 15th.

While of course the Wolves hierarchy at the time declared their ambitions to establish Wolves in the mould of a team like Everton, they never really backed their ambitions with big money or quality additions – and complacency hit in the third season, as only Roger Johnson joined as a big new addition, with Jamie O’Hara joining permanently.

Fosun have already put their money where their mouth is, smashing the transfer record three times in their two seasons – with astute loan signings complementing their willingness to pay out.

Every player Wolves have signed this season, and a fair proportion of last season’s signings, will have increased in market value since joining Wolves.

Providing Wolves sign Diogo Jota for around £13 million, the trio of him, Ivan Cavaleiro and Helder Costa is already worth more than the £33 million Wolves will have paid.

Ruben Neves is undoubtedly worth much more than the £15.8 million Wolves signed him for – the Portuguese international is the jewel in Wolves’ crown and it will take a serious amount of money to prise him away.

Whereas the 2009 team built by Mick McCarthy was a solid Championship team but probably no more, there are far more technically able players in a system more likely to bring top flight success this time around.

Many pundits and fans are confidently predicting Wolves being better than the bottom half of the Premier League already, without bringing in further additions.

If Jorge Mendes’ recommendations this time around prove as successful this summer as last year, Wolves could genuinely be looking upwards of tenth spot.

They have roughly four months until the first game of the season, giving them ample time to prepare.

They already have a generous handful of top flight-calibre players, and a first-class manager in Nuno – promotion is just the beginning.