Wolverhampton Wanderers' Season Preview 2025-26 is here as Vitor Pereira's side are faced with replacing Matheus Cunha and Rayan Ait-Nouri
FourFourTwo's Wolverhampton Wanderers Season Preview
FFT's View
The Plan
Avoid needing snookers to get out of trouble as fans head for the loft to gather their festive decorations. Wolves have spent two of the last three Christmas Days in the relegation zone, before Julen Lopetegui and then Vitor Pereira delivered desperate rescue acts.
PREMIER LEAGUE 16th
FA CUP Fifth Round
LEAGUE CUP Third Round
TOP SCORER (ALL COMPS) Matheus Cunha (17)
But 2025-26’s early-season fixture list is less brutal than last year’s, when Wolves faced all of the eventual top seven in their opening eight games and took a single point, so they can hope for a better launchpad. And while losing Matheus Cunha, Rayan Ait-Nouri and Pablo Sarabia has without doubt been sub-optimal, it’s not the end of the world if – if – there is enough investment.
The Coach
Vitor Pereira not only made an impact on the pitch, arriving a week before Christmas to win 33 of Wolves’ 42 total points, but down the boozer as well. He even frequented the city centre Wetherspoons and lived to tell the tale. He has personality and panache, and fans love it.
Key Player
Joao Gomes, ‘the Pitbull’ from Brazil – as the song goes, “He’s here, he’s there, he’s every-f**king-where.” Player of the Year and a cult figure with a fanbase who love a tigerish midfielder, he’s also technically adept and, at 24, should keep improving. He can do it all.
Lesson From Last Year
To keep calm, literally, and carry on. The first half of 2024-25 was peppered by spectacular losses of discipline: Mario Lemina after full-time at West Ham; Cunha and Ait-Nouri after full-time against Ipswich; Cunha during extra-time against Bournemouth.
This preview originally appeared in FourFourTwo's Season Preview issue which went on sale in July, available here with free delivery
Even Matt Hobbs, the then-sporting director, got in on the act as he was found guilty of misconduct for the second time in 12 months. All four have since departed Molineux. Coincidence? Well, yes, but for all of the pre-arrival clips of some lively Pereira press conferences and wonderfully entertaining dugout histrionics from his staff, Wolves now look more measured. Controlled aggression is in.
The Mood
More up than down, albeit with a hefty dollop of scepticism, but helped by having dough to spend. Fans trust Pereira, whose January signings – centre-back Emmanuel Agbadou and versatile midfielder Marshall Munetsi, both from Reims – proved transformative. New director of professional football Domenico Teti has worked with Pereira before, which feels positive.
The One To Watch
Jorgen Strand Larsen had a very respectable 14-goal first season in Old Gold. The affable Norwegian targetman’s ability to dovetail with Cunha’s successor is crucial.
Most Likely To...
Go back to an ex. Jorge Mendes’ Gestifute agency was a massive initial help in Wolves’ top-flight consolidation, but the relationship has cooled. Is the early capture of Fer Lopez a sign of it rekindling?
TITLE ODDS 500/1
Least Likely To...
Play nicely online. Wolves’ fans were voted the ‘most toxic in football’ this summer (you’ll never sing that) for some social media barbs. This is cutting Black Country humour – we laugh at ourselves just as much as everybody else.
FFT Verdict
17TH Cunha, ranked at no.13 in FourFourTwo's list of the best Premier League players of last season, and Ait-Nouri contributed to 55 per cent of their goals – a lot to replace even with £90m. Look out.
The Number Cruncher
The Fan View
We've asked Jordan Russell to give us the skinny on what to expect from Old Gold in 2025-26...
Last season was abysmal under Gary O’Neil, really solid under Vitor Pereira.
This season will be different because we will have a full year with Andre and Joao Gomes, two of the Premier League’s most underrated players, playing side by side.
Our most underrated player is Emmanuel Agbadou, who has absolutely revolutionised our back three since coming in from Reims in January. He arrived with a low profile and we’re hoping it stays that way.
Look out for England U18 forward Mateus Mané. He made his Premier League debut last season and the manager is a huge fan.
The opposition player I’d love here is Cole Palmer.
The thing my club really gets right is not a lot. The owners are holding us back. They’re more concerned about their E-Sports teams at present.
A social media account to follow is Joe behind @conceptscouting, who has great insight into player performance, with a focused lens on Wolves.
I’m most looking forward to visiting Everton’s new ground. It looks incredible and I can fit some golf in while I am up there!
Fans think our gaffer is really good. He loves us and we love him back.
If he left, he should be replaced by someone Portuguese. We tried to move away from it but I’ve just accepted now that we can only play 3-4-3 and be managed by someone from Portugal.
I won’t be happy unless we have a good cup run.
We’ll finish 14th.
This preview originally appeared in FourFourTwo's Season Preview issue which went on sale in July, available here with free delivery
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