Gary O'Neil lifts lid on plans for quartet of Wolves attackers
Daniel Podence and Goncalo Guedes have an ‘opportunity’ to stay at Wolves this summer but Gary O’Neil admits a final decision has not been made on the pair.
Both forwards were expected to depart in the transfer window but were handed chances in pre-season and O’Neil has been complimentary of the way they have conducted themselves.
They are now due to be in the matchday squad tomorrow against Arsenal, but O’Neil cautions that there could still be movement until the window closes.
“The way I manage the group is that I take them as I find them and give them an opportunity to show everyone what they can do,” O’Neil said.
“They’ve done that over pre-season, they’ve knuckled down and been great around the place. They’ve worked their socks off.
“They’ve both got themselves in the best place possible to give themselves an opportunity to impact the Premier League with us this season.
“As it stands right now, that’s what we’re going to try and do with them.”
When asked if that means the pair are staying, O’Neil added: “There’s no definitive answer at the moment.
“Things can change very quickly and we’ve heard nothing on those two so far.
“They seem happy and a solid part of the group and it’s my job to keep them that way for the whole time they’re here. If something changes we’ll adapt and move forward.”
Meanwhile, there is also no final decision on Chiquinho’s future.
The winger admitted in an interview with the Express & Star that he wants to stay with Wolves this summer, and while O’Neil has been impressed the head coach was coy on his future.
“It’s still fluid, but I like him,” O’Neil said of Chiquinho.
“He’s been excellent, had a real impact in the games he’s played.
“Especially when we’ve put him on. The Palace game and RB Leipzig game he had an impact when he came on.
“We’re working with him to help him improve and be a bit more consistent, but he definitely gives us something at this moment.
“He gives us something out wide that we don’t have in the squad. That one-v-one, pace and ability to go past players.
“It’s just whether we can harness that enough where he can become a regular for us, that’s the challenge over the next few weeks.”
One player who will leave this summer is Fabio Silva, with Wolves keen on a permanent deal or a beneficial loan move.
A loan move with an option to buy from Genoa was rejected as all parties work on moving Silva on.
The player is now back at Compton training, but he is not training with the first team.
“He won’t play for us this season so it is better that people find a solution,” O’Neil said.
“He is working very hard to make sure that he’s fit and ready.
“I spoke to him the other day and he’s in a good spot, he’s training hard and trying to get himself somewhere that will suit him.
“Hopefully that can end in being a really successful season for him because he needs one.
“He’s had a tough few years, was bought with a lot of expectation and a huge transfer fee, and for whatever reason it hasn’t worked out for him.
“He needs to go and play regularly and play well, for him to then have a chance of trying to get back to what we know he can be.”
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