Fabrizio Romano has claimed that Bruno Lage is still Wolves' "first option" to take over from Nuno Espirito Santo, as the club's manager search continues.

Nuno departed Wolves last month following four years in charge, and the club are now looking to find his replacement ahead of the transfer window opening next week.

The Italian journalist stated that Lage was in pole position to land the job last week, and he has recently confirmed that this remains the case.

What did Romano say about Lage?

So, what is the hold up?

According to Romano, Wolves are simply waiting for Lage to receive his work permit, and once this has been done he will begin his tenure at Molineux.

Taking to Twitter on Tuesday evening, Romano wrote: "Bruno Lage is the ‘frontrunner’ and first option as Wolves new manager since May 21, the day Nuno was sacked. Work permit still pending - if it’s conceded, Bruno Lage will sign as new Wolves head coach."

Are there any other names in the mix?

Romano mentioned on May 21, two days before Nuno's final game, that Porto manager Sergio Conceicao was on Wolves' three-man shortlist to join the Premier League club.

Conceicao has spent the last four years at Porto, and led the team to the quarter-finals of the Champions League in 2020/21, before they were knocked out by eventual winners Chelsea.

However, he has always maintained that Lage is the favourite to be handed the role, and his latest tweet on the matter indicates that the 45-year-old is closing in on being named Wolves' next boss.

What will be on Lage's to-do list if he gets the Wolves job?

It seems that Lage is on the brink of being announced as Wolves' new manager, and with the summer transfer window set to open shortly, he will need to be decisive in identifying his top targets ahead of next season.

At the top of his list of priorities should be signing a new striker. Wolves only managed 36 goals in 38 games in 2020/21, a poor return for such a talented side. They clearly missed the injured Raul Jimenez, and while he looks likely to return soon, they cannot pin all their hopes on him delivering all their goals after such a lengthy absence.

Lage may also need to bring in a new goalkeeper as Rui Patricio is linked with a move to Roma. If the experienced shot-stopper does leave, it is imperative that Wolves find a replacement for him quickly given that their current alternatives, Andreas Sondergaard and Matija Sarkic, are nowhere near the level of the Portuguese international, with neither man having played in the Premier League yet.

Finally, central midfield could become an issue that needs resolving. It is understood that Wolves are open to selling Ruben Neves this summer, and his exit would leave the team short of options in the middle of the park, which is something that Lage would have to rectify.

It looks set to be a fascinating summer for Wolves and Lage. The former Benfica manager is going to need to settle in quickly to build the squad that he requires to move Wolves back up the table in 2021/22.