Wolverhampton Wanderers are planning to extend Gary O’Neil’s contract as a reward for his performance, although discussions will be postponed until the summer, with the club prioritizing achieving a top-eight finish in the Premier League. O’Neil’s appointment has significantly rejuvenated Wolves since he took over from Julen Lopetegui just 48 hours before the commencement of the season.
Despite expectations of a challenging season following a player exodus, Wolves currently sit in 10th place in the league, only six points away from sixth position, and have progressed to the quarter-finals of the FA Cup. Lopetegui departed as he believed the squad lacked the quality to avoid a relegation battle, with Wolves allowing several senior players, including former captain Rúben Neves, to depart last summer to comply with financial regulations.
O’Neil, one of four English managers in the Premier League, signed a three-year contract but is now in line for an extension. Matt Hobbs, the Sporting Director of Wolves, stated, “That’s naturally where this is going – he’s done well enough to have that conversation. Part of the conversation will be the plan for the club and that’s where you have to have the honest conversations about what it looks like going forward. That is an inevitable situation we find ourselves in this summer, for sure.”
Wolves aim to finish the season strongly, with the FA Cup providing an additional incentive. Hobbs mentioned, “We want to finish the season well and have the FA Cup to look forward to. We have more to play for with the league and the squad drive that a lot.” Despite speculation surrounding potential departures, Hobbs emphasized the team’s focus on the current tasks at hand.
To maintain financial stability, Wolves may consider selling one key player during the upcoming transfer window. Hobbs stated, “We don’t want to sell more than two starters, but if big clubs come [in] I’ve never been the person to stand in someone’s way as long as we can reinvest in the right way to move forward.”
The club remains committed to recruiting value-for-money players, as demonstrated by recent signings. Wolves’ upcoming fixtures include matches against Fulham and Coventry City, with aspirations of reaching the semi-finals of the FA Cup for the first time since 2019.