The least-popular team in Fantasy Premier League (FPL) right now are Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Even their most-owned asset, £4.0m bench fodder goalkeeper Matija Šarkić, has just left the club.
Is there anything to like about Julen Lopetegui’s side going into 2023/24, then?
We’ll attempt to answer that question in our latest FPL team preview.
Summer transfer activity, pre-season friendly results, top player picks, a predicted line-up and a fan Q&A are all covered.
If you want to read up on Wolves’ player and team data from 2022/23 in more detail, head here.
Opta player and team data in this article comes from our Premium Members Area – along with essential tools like a transfer planner, Season Ticker and points projections, it’s one of the benefits you’ll get with a discounted pre-season subscription.
WOLVES: REASONS TO BE CHEERFUL
Wolves’ ultimately comfortable survival bid in 2022/23 owed much to two things: home form and Julen Lopetegui.
Only Manchester United (11) kept more home clean sheets than Wolves (10) last season, with 30 of Wanderers’ 41 points coming at Molineux.
As for Lopetegui, he inherited a team rock-bottom of the Premier League before the Boxing Day restart.
Had the season started from that point, Wolves would have finished in 11th. Fans and players alike have hailed the Spaniard’s influence and impact, and their hopes for 2022/23 largely rest on Lopetegui sticking around.
WOLVES: REASONS TO BE FEARFUL
One reason Lopetegui might not decide to remain in the Black Country is Wolves’ current financial plight.
You won’t have read one story about the club this summer without there being some mention of Financial Fair Play (FFP), which has led to a flood of sales and resulted in precious few incomings.
While the first XI remains competitive, the squad is weaker than it was in 2022/23.
On the field, the away form was abysmal last season.
The only two wins on the road were against struggling Everton and Southampton, while Wolves have not kept a clean sheet on their travels in almost a year.
Goalscoring, regardless of venue, was a huge issue.
Wolves were ranked 20th for goals scored in 2022/23, with the lack of recruitment up top this summer a significant concern as a result.
SUMMER TRANSFER ACTIVITY
| GK | Tom King | Northampton Town (Free) |
| DEF | Matt Doherty | Atletico Madrid (Free) |
As mentioned above, FFP has put paid to whatever original transfer plans Lopetegui may have had.
Only two freebies, both expected to be back-ups in their respective positions, have been signed so far.
Wolves have, however, had to shell out over £50m combined for Boubacar Traore (£4.5m) and Matheus Cunha (£5.5m), loanees from last season who the club had obligations to buy.
Plenty of familiar names have abandoned the cash-strapped ship in the summer, with the departure of Ruben Neves the biggest, but not unexpected, blow.
Joao Moutinho, Conor Coady, Raul Jimenez and Diego Costa have also left, although the frustration from the Wolves fans is less about the exits of those has-beens and cast-offs and more about the lack of fresh blood coming in.
PRE-SEASON REPORT
| Jul 9 | Vitoria SC 1-2 Wolverhampton Wanderers | Cunha (Sarabia assist), Farmer (Chiquinho assist) |
| Jul 12 | SC Farense 0-1 Wolverhampton Wanderers | Fraser (Ait-Nouri assist) |
| Jul 19 | Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-0 Blackpool (Compton Park, Wolverhampton) | Sarabia, Cunha (Fraser assist) |
| Jul 25 | FC Porto 0-1 Wolverhampton Wanderers (Estadio da Bela Vista, Parchal) | Neto (Nunes assist) |
| Jul 29 | Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-1 Glasgow Celtic (Aviva Stadium, Dublin) | Cunha pen (Doherty assist) |
| Aug 2 | Wolverhampton Wanderers 0-0 Luton Town (Molineux) |
| Aug 5 | Wolverhampton Wanderers v Stade Rennais (Molineux) |
Three training ground friendlies preceded the first ‘proper’ pre-season test against Porto.
Goals predictably haven’t flowed in front of a watching crowd, with just one open-play strike in three matches.
Even Premier League relegation favourites Luton Town couldn’t be breached on Wednesday.
Lopetegui named the same starting XI against Porto and Celtic before giving more of his fringe players a chance agaist Luton, so there are definite clues as to his preferred line-up – more of which below.
OPENING FIXTURES
Remember the ill-fated Pedro Neto (£5.5m) pre-season bandwagon of 12 months ago? That was mostly kickstarted by Wolves’ favourable opening fixtures – and there’s little chance of that happening this time.
Five of last season’s top seven await before we get to Gameweek 8, with the most favourable fixtures (Everton and Luton) coming on the road. As we’ve discussed, Wolves were awful on their travels in 2022/23.
And we have to wait until Gameweek 15 before we get beatable-on-paper opposition at Fortress Molineux. Before that, Brighton, Liverpool, Man City, Aston Villa, Newcastle and Spurs visit the West Midlands.
PREDICTED GAMEWEEK 1 LINE-UP
The line-up above was the one that Lopetegui sent out against Porto and Celtic.
There’s a decent chance that we see one of Joao Gomes (£5.0m) or Boubacar Traore (£4.5m) in for Joe Hodge (£4.5m), however.
Forwards Fabio Silva (£5.5m) and Sasa Kalajdzic (£5.0m) have returned from a loan spell and injury respectively, with Silva in particular catching the eye in the friendly against Luton. Silva played just off Kalajdzic in a 4-2-3-1 in that match.
The industrious Hwang Hee-chan (£5.5m) is another option on the left flank, meanwhile.
This predicted line-up was compiled on August 4 so make sure to check out our Team News tab closer to the Gameweek 1 deadline for the latest updates.
SET-PIECE TAKERS
Despite limited game-time, Sarabia took the most corners under Lopetegui last season – and the Spaniard has again been heavily involved at set plays this summer.
Neves, Moutinho and Daniel Podence (£5.5m), all of whom also chipped in at dead-ball situations, have either exited the club already or are thought to be on their way out.
As for penalties, the depature of Neves and Raul Jimenez (£5.5m) leaves a void from 12 yards.
Pablo Sarabia (£5.0m) has a flawless career record from the spot (16/16), so could be the heir to the throne at Molineux when on the pitch.
It was Matheus Cunha (£5.5m) who stepped up to score a penalty against Celtic in pre-season but Sarabia was off the field at the time.
BEST FPL OPTIONS/ONES FOR THE WATCHLIST
Acknowledging the current lack of demand and the tough opening fixtures for Wolves players, we’ve combined these two sections into one. In truth, there’s no-one that really stands out ahead of Gameweek 1.
But we’ll certainly be keeping an eye on the trio of budget forwards (Cunha, Silva and Kalajdzic) on Wolves’ books, as a regularly starting cheap option in attack will be ideal for any FPL manager using a 4-4-2/3-5-2/4-5-1.
Even then, it’s currently a hard sell after Wanderers’ league-worst tally of 31 goals in 2022/23.
Cunha didn’t make a good first impression in Fantasy terms, with two goals and 2.3 points per match in 17 appearances under Lopetegui.
He’s also no goal-hanger, and he’s never been a prolific scorer: comparisons with Roberto Firmino underscore the type of forward he is.
But, if we’re clutching at straws, penalties would be a boon and he’s looked sharp over the summer. He also had the best minutes-per-shot average (37) in the Wolves squad under Lopetegui last season.
Similarly, penalty-taking duties for Sarabia, alongside all the other set plays, would boost the £5.0m midfielder’s appeal no end. He’s failed to nail down regular starts in his Wolves career to date, however.
At the back, Craig Dawson (£4.5m) has had a price cut and joins Max Kilman (£4.5m) at the same rung. Historically a big threat at set plays, Dawson ranked ninth among FPL defenders for shots in the box after Lopetegui was appointed.
FAN Q&A
Huge Wolves fan FPL BlackWolf was kind enough to give us his time for the supporter Q&A, with his answers below.
Our thanks go to him.
Q. Who or what has caught your eye in pre-season at your club?
“It has been a tumultuous preseason so far. Wolves continue to struggle to deal with FFP issues, there is uncertainty surrounding the status of Julen Lopetegui and transfers, and there is a worrying lack of communication from the club board, with many fans wanting them out.
“Numerous first-team players have left the club, including Ruben Neves, Joao Moutinho, Conor Coady, Nathan Collins, Raul Jimenez, Adama Traore and Diego Costa, a few of those for large sums and all on high wages. More outgoings including the likes of Rayan Ait-Nouri and Jonny have also been rumoured, but at time of writing have not happened yet.
“Removing dead weight from a bloated squad, freshening things up after two poor seasons, and allowing Lopetegui to bring in his own players was needed. It is very much the case of quality over quantity. However, Wolves have yet to make substantial moves in the transfer market to replace all the departures.
“Fans expected 3-5 quality incomings, but at time of writing, the only first-team player to join is a returning Matt Doherty (if you exclude the obligations to buy Matheus Cunha and Boubacar Traore after their loans). Even youngsters such as Chiquinho and Ryan Giles, who I thought could challenge for a place in the starting XI from the offset, have been allowed to leave.
“It is not all doom and gloom, though. Wolves’ core squad and starting XI is still strong, and players such as Matheus Cunha, Pablo Sarabia, Pedro Neto and Matheus Nunes have shown signs of brilliance in pre-season. I expect them all to step up. Sasa Kaladjzic is returning from injury and could be in for a great season, and if we can keep hold of Fabio Silva, the link-up play we’ve seen from him and the second striker in pre-season games so far has been exciting.”
Q. Who would be the top three FPL picks you’d go for at your club and why?
“1. Matheus Cunha: High xMins, potentially on penalties (and will be almost certainly if Sarabia isn’t on the pitch), and central to almost all Wolves attacks. If Wolves can sort out their goalscoring issues, Cunha could be a great enabler as the second or third forward depending on the formation of your FPL team.
“2. Pablo Sarabia: On set pieces, potentially on penalties, plays high up on the wing or in the number 10 role, and is the player most likely to get assists. He’s the best budget fifth midfield option from Wolves if using a 3-4-3 formation in your FPL team. A warning though: his xMins are a worry, and if we see his game-time is limited once the season begins, he’s not worth considering.
“3. Max Kilman: Completely nailed, part of a defence still looking like they can be strong at home, and a BPS magnet.
“An honorable mention goes to Fabio Silva. If he stays at Wolves and Lopetegui gives him the starting place I strongly believe he deserves, he could become a brilliant enabler, and potentially even a better asset than Cunha. He was outstanding in the friendly v Luton and I can see him getting goals. Wolves need to trust him, though, and give him consistent minutes. One to watch.”
Q. Will you own any of your club’s players in Gameweek 1? Why/why not?
“I will not be owning any Wolves assets for Gameweek 1, and here is why:
1. Uncertainty surrounding the club and how Wolves are going to perform
2. Poor early fixtures
3. Lots of cheap assets for better teams, meaning budget enablers are not as important“We can keep our eye on Wolves for the first few weeks, analyze their assets with real data, and get a better idea on the first-choice XI. If we see that the team is improved, we can look to potentially bring in a Wolves asset for a later green fixture run.”
Q. Prediction for 2023/24 – where do you think your team will finish and why?
“If we keep the core group of players we currently have together and add in a few quality signings, namely a centre-back, a full-back, and an attacking creative midfielder or forward, then I believe Wolves do have the quality to avoid a relegation fight. However, Wolves need to address the uncertainty that is looming over the club and Lopetegui needs to figure out his best XI. I understand his frustrations completely but a world-class manager should be able to get this squad performing despite the lack of investment. The quality is there.
“As of now, I am predicting 15th.”
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