Express & Star

Wolves boss Julen Lopetegui backs Joao Gomes to adapt quickly

Julen Lopetegui believes Joao Gomes’s ‘balanced’ personality will help him adapt quickly to life at Wolves.

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The 22-year-old had a dream start to his Premier League career when he came off the bench to score the winner away at Southampton, before making his second appearance as a substitute against Bournemouth.

He is awaiting his first start and the head coach says he must adapt to his new surroundings, but believes that Gomes’s character will make it a smooth transition.

“As a person, which is very important for me, he is very balanced,” Lopetegui said.

“It’s important to overcome different situations in your career.

“After, he is a good player. He is a complete player and has the high demand of a midfielder in the Premier League. Of course, he has to adapt to the Premier League and the rhythm, but he is working in a good way. He is very balanced as a person and that is important to overcome this kind of situation. He helps himself to do better and react to these situations.”

Lopetegui places a lot of importance on having an English culture in the Wolves dressing room, and says Gomes is taking language classes.

“He’s trying to learn English but right now he doesn’t dominate the language, but he is taking classes,” Lopetegui added.

“It’s very important to me. First of all, to respect the country you are in and the culture. I have to do it and the players too, it’s better for them and their adaptation. I think it’s important.”