Express & Star

Bruno Lage isolating ahead of Wolves start

Wolves boss Bruno Lage is currently self-isolating ahead of linking up with his new squad for the start of pre-season training.

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The 45-year-old has returned to the country from Portugal – having gone back home shortly after he was announced as head coach last month.

And he is now in quarantine, getting ready to meet the players at Compton next week.

Wolves begin pre-season on Monday and it will mark the formal start of work for Lage at the club after joining on a three-year-deal as Nuno Espirito Santo’s successor.

The former title-winning Benfica chief will have a large portion of his squad around for the early sessions and will hope to get his philosophy across as soon as possible.

Those who have been away at the Euros – Conor Coady with England, Leander Dendoncker with Belgium, Adama Traore with Spain, and Portugal quartet Rui Patricio, Nelson Semedo, Joao Moutinho and Ruben Neves – are not due to be back for at least another couple of weeks.

But Lage will have the chance to work with star striker Raul Jimenez as he steps up his recovery from a fractured skull – the Mexican hoping to be ready to return to action when the Premier League campaign gets going in August.

Lage’s first game in charge is due to be a friendly at League One outfit Crewe on Saturday, July 17.

The club are set to announce more details on the summer schedule imminently, and a warm-weather training camp abroad has been discussed.

Meanwhile, it is understood Lage’s backroom team will be confirmed by the club soon.

His younger brother, Luis Nascimento is due to be part of the group while Wales goalkeeping coach Tony Roberts – who Lage previously worked with at Swansea – is thought to have been earmarked to oversee the club’s shot-stoppers.

The backroom staff were originally expected to be announced shortly after Lage, but it is now believed they will be revealed once pre-season is under way and they are all at Compton.