Gary O'Neil fires warning over Wolves transfer window
Gary O’Neil has warned Wolves will need reinforcements before the transfer window closes after their 6-2 battering against Chelsea.
A disjointed and disastrous second half display saw Wolves throw away a 2-2 draw and positive first half, as they suffered defeat at Molineux.
Wolves sold Max Kilman and Pedro Neto in deals worth up to a combined £94million but are still working on their replacements.
Now, O’Neil has insisted the club must have a good end to the transfer window before it slams shut on Friday evening.
O’Neil said: “I have a good understanding of the group and what it needs and today was miles below the level. All things will be considered to try and get us into the best place possible to be competitive in the Premier League.
“A lot of that is dependent on the players we have and the players we’re able to get so it’s an important week coming up for the players and the club.
“Everyone knows the financial restrictions that we have and that have been in place since I arrived, but we have raised some good funds in this window and the players need some help.
“The Premier League is tough. When the window shuts, it doesn’t open again for a good few months and we need to be really comfortable with where we are.
“So there’s a lot of work for me to do, firstly, and focusing on my own job and I need to get more out of the group that I already have.
“But there is also an understanding that the Premier League is tough and if you sell good players it makes you weaker.”
With no investment forthcoming from owners Fosun, Wolves are working under a self-sustainable model in which they will aim to reinvest some of their funds from transfer sales.
But O’Neil was also cautious when quizzed about breaking even in this transfer window, with signings still in the pipeline.
“I think we’ll see if it’s a break even window by the time it shuts based on what we’ve been able to do,” the head coach added.
“I can sit here and speak about transfers but off the back of a 6-2 home defeat, I feel uncomfortable talking about what anyone else should be doing and what we should be doing in the transfer window.
“That out there is my responsibility and the window and what I think of it hasn’t changed, we’ve raised some good funds and hopefully we can use that in the coming days.”
Wolves are keen to add a centre-back and winger, while young French defender Bastien Meupiyou due to sign from Nantes.
But the club is also under some pressure to offload fringe players, with striker Fabio Silva still yet to secure a move.
The futures of Daniel Podence and Goncalo Guedes also remain unclear, with just days left of the window.
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