Express & Star

Wolves boss Gary O'Neil gives update on Jonny Castro Otto after training ground incident

Jonny’s future at Wolves is in doubt with the defender facing disciplinary action over a training ground incident.

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The 29-year-old is currently away from Compton Park and unavailable for selection while the club look into an incident which took place last week and was first reported by the Express & Star on Sunday.

Boss Gary O’Neil declined to go into details of what took place but confirmed the Spaniard, absent from the squad for Saturday’s 2-1 defeat at Arsenal, would not feature in Tuesday’s Premier League match with Burnley.

O’Neil said: “Jonny won't be in the squad tomorrow. There was a training ground incident last week that's being dealt with by the club.

“If or when he's back available, we'll let everybody know about it. At this moment in time he won't be available for the coming games.

“I'd rather not go into details in public. Things happen at training grounds and at football clubs a lot. The club are dealing with it.”

O’Neil confirmed he personally is involved in the disciplinary process, which is being led by the club’s hierarchy.

Asked directly whether Jonny still had a future at the club, he replied: “We'll update you when he's back around. At this stage, I can't give any more than that.

“That is all I know. He's not around at the moment and if or when he is, we'll let you know.

“So yeah, he's, he's definitely not going to be around for tomorrow.”

An £18million signing from Atletico Madrid in 2019, Jonny was a regular starter in the Wolves team which reached the quarter-finals of the Europa League, before being hit by two serious knee injuries.

After turning down chances to leave Wolves last summer and vowing to fight for his place, he has featured in just three matches under O’Neil this season, only one of those in the Premier League.

“There can be healthy competitiveness and situations at training grounds but those ones generally aren't dealt with,” said O’Neil.

“Anything deemed beyond that is dealt with by myself and the club.

“I’m not going into the actual incident too much. We're working hard to shift the club in a certain direction and it is important that we continue to do so.

“So the Jonny incident has been dealt with and will continue to be dealt with by the club as it should be.

“My 100 per cent focus is on Burnley tomorrow and making sure that the lads that we have available are ready to go again.”