Only five teams have ever been relegated earlier than Wolverhampton Wanderers, whose drop out of the Premier League has finally been confirmed.
We all knew this day was coming—Wolves did not get their first win of the season until January—but a recent run of spirited performances will have reminded those clubs remaining in the top flight that there are plenty of capable players in the ranks at Molineux.
A drop down to the Championship often brings a fire sale as ambitious players look elsewhere and high-earners are moved on, meaning there are a handful of potential bargains on the cards.
Here are four players likely to be of interest to clubs towards the top of the Premier League.
João Gomes
It seems nearly certain that midfielder João Gomes will not be playing second-tier soccer next season.
The 25-year-old, on the fringes of the Brazil squad, has taken the Premier League by storm with his all-action, high energy approach to the game, disrupting opponents with ease and learning how to combine that with attacking output.
Gomes is expected to be on the shortlists of a number of top sides, with Manchester United most recently named as admirers. He may not be top of the wish list in a market which also includes the likes of Elliot Anderson, Adam Wharton and Sandro Tonali, but Gomes will make an excellent alternative for one suitor forced to expand their search for reinforcements.
André
Wolves surprised many when they won the battle to sign André in the summer of 2024. Strong reports suggested Liverpool were bidding for his signature just 12 months earlier, when the Brazilian chose to stay and continue his development with Fluminense.
Rumors of renewed interest from Liverpool must be taken cautiously but there will no doubt be plenty of admirers in England, while Wolves will be interested in selling to raise the funds needed for a squad rebuild this summer.
A modern-day playmaking midfielder, André is less mobile than Gomes, his midfield partner, and that may well limit his ceiling, but those looking to make the jump up into the European races would be wise to consider this move.
Mateus Mané
Wolves are thought to be keen to hold on to 18-year-old Mateus Mané but, unfortunately for them, the young midfielder is likely to attract the most interest—most of which could come right from the very top of the Premier League.
Mané, who rose rapidly through the ranks at youth level, has been a first-team regular for the second half of this season, wisely promoted as soon as Wolves worked out they needed to start planning for life in the Championship. He has been one of very few feel-good stories at Molineux.
The appeal of signing Mané is not hard to understand. Here, we have an 18-year-old midfielder who has already made an impact in the Premier League, which would be enough of a selling point without the fact he also counts as a homegrown player having moved to England at 8 years old.
Staying with Wolves and honing his craft in the second tier is, perhaps, the wiser move at this early stage of his career, but Mané will undoubtedly be tempted by the lucrative offers almost certain to come flying his way.
Hugo Bueno
Likewise, Hugo Bueno is another homegrown talent who looks capable of taking his career to the next level this summer.
Left back seems to be a real problem position for nearly every club on the planet. Options are limited when teams are trying to hoard at least two of the best, meaning 23-year-old Bueno may actually have worked his way up the shortlists of many teams over the past season.
One of the elites could be tempted by Bueno as a rotation option, while mid-table teams could even offer him a regular starting position. His all-round approach to the game will appeal to most scouts, as will the fact he will enter the final two years of his contract this summer. If Wolves want to sell for anywhere close to full value, this may be their last chance to do so.
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