Wolverhampton Wanderers were relegated to the Championship following a remarkably poor campaign in the Premier League. But they could be back in no time.
There have been quite a few surprises at Molineux in the past year or so. Vitor Pereira arrived in December 2024 and managed to right the ship taking over from Gary O’Neil. Wolves stayed up in 2024-25 only to start the following season with 19 straight league games without a win.
Rob Edwards left a comfortable position in the second tier with Middlesbrough but couldn’t avoid relegation. Instead of starting again in the Championship, where he had previously had success with Boro and Luton Town in 2023, the board decided to sack him.
Cesar Peixoto is now at the helm looking to bring Premier League football back to the city of Wolverhampton. He has yet to have all players available but seems to be leaning on the 4-2-3-1 as the main option to start the campaign.
Why are Wolves among the favourites to return to the Premier League next season?
Squad continuity
Wolves haven’t made a lot of deals in the current transfer window so far. Of course, that could change with just over a month to go until deadline day on 1st September.
They have signed four players – but only three count as actual additions to the team. Ladislav Krejci had already been at Molineux before, on loan from Girona, and the deal is now permanent.
There is also one more familiar face. Raul Jimenez returned following a three-year spell at Fulham after an impressive World Cup for co-hosts Mexico. He spent five years at Wolves between 2018 and 2023 and is now back for much delight of the fan base.
Rafiki Said and Kieran Trippier have also joined from Standard Liege and Newcastle United, respectively. The former reportedly cost them around £8million while the latter was a free agent after his contract expired.
Wolves seem to be trying to make smart and strategical signings rather than splashing the cash.
There have also been few exits considering they just suffered relegation. Quality players often look to leave the club rather than sticking around and playing second-tier football. But they still have quite a few of them in the squad.
Their only big exit so far has been selling Joao Gomes to Aston Villa. His Brazilian midfield partner Andre looks set to stay, having extended his contract after the relegation. Tolu Arokodare also left on loan to Ajax shortly after a reported misunderstanding with the manager during a training session.
| Transfer | Player | From/To |
|---|---|---|
| In | Rafiki Said Ladislav Krejci Kieran Trippier Raul Jimenez | Standard Liege Girona Newcastle Fulham |
| Out | Tolu Arokodare Joao Gomes Matt Doherty | Ajax Aston Villa Sheffield United |
Blend of quality and experience
It’s hard to mention quality throughout the squad considering the season they just played. But a lot of the players belong to a sort of in-between level, not being good enough for the Premier League but maybe too good for the Championship. It’s the perfect combination for any side with promotion aspirations.
Mateus Mane was one of the few good news from 2025/26 and should have no issues in the second tier. He could be their version of 2017/18 Diogo Jota, who made the Championship look levels beneath him. The versatility and ability to play anywhere in the front four is just another common factor between them.
Raul Jimenez and Adam Armstrong are the personification of this limbo between Championship and Premier League. Jimenez has struggled to break the 10-goal barrier in the top flight but showed for Mexico that he can very much still do a job.
Javier Aguirre tailored his side to look for crosses and use his aerial prowess in other areas as well. The striker finished the World Cup with three goals in four games plus a whopping 75% of aerial duels won on high volume.
Armstrong has been bouncing back-and-forth between the top two divisions for his whole career. He usually makes a name for himself in the Championship, luring Premier League sides to take a chance on him only for him to fall short.
It might be the same for Hwang Hee-chan as well. After impressing for Red Bull Salzburg, he couldn’t live up to expectations at RB Leipzig and Wolves. Should he stay, the Championship may be a good place for him to shine again.
At the same time, most of the players in their current squad endured a tough season of Premier League football. Add to that the age of a few others, and it makes for a considerably experienced team all around. Even the youngsters have already tasted English football and should have no problem adapting to the Championship.
Not for nothing, bookmakers are giving Wolves the second-best odds to win the second tier in the upcoming season – mostly at 11/2. West Ham United are understandably ahead of them.