Business as usual for Wolves despite Thelwell departure, insists Nuno

Boss Nuno Espirito Santo has eased fears of disruption at Wolves after the departure of sporting director Kevin Thelwell.

The club have now lost two key figures of their rise in less than a year after Thelwell joined New York Red Bulls as their head of sport this month.

Laurie Dalrymple, the club’s former chief executive, left in July with him and Thelwell helping bring in Nuno in 2017.

The duo are yet to be replaced at Molineux, with chairman Jeff Shi taking on some of Dalrymple’s responsibilities.

Wolves are actively searching for Thelwell’s replacement and Nuno insisted it is business as usual.

“I’m not concerned because the club will take the decisions it has to take and replace the people with quality people also,” he said.

“The future is there. More important than us as individuals is the club. Wolves is in a growing process. Everybody has helped.

“Anyone who comes has to keep the same philosophy, working for the club, helping the club.

“It is always disappointing to see someone going but Kevin left for the reasons he said, for a new chance and a new challenge and he wanted to embrace it.

“I remember the first meeting I had about coming to Wolves was with Kevin and Laurie. Most of them are not here anymore. I respect that.”

Ruben Vinagre is the only player missing for Nuno ahead of Friday’s game with Leicester as he battles a hamstring injury.

Adama Traore is managing an ongoing shoulder problem after dislocating it at Manchester United at the start of the month but Nuno insisted the winger will not need surgery.

“I don’t think so. He is OK,” he said. “It is less worrying for him because he is strong and he has a lot of people taking care of him.

“The problem is there, it takes time to settle down. The kind of work he is doing, muscular work, getting stronger, and taking care, avoiding some kind of contact.”

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