Wolverhampton Wanderers will have to consider the January transfer window when appointing their new manager with the first-team squad at Molineux in need of ‘balance’, according to journalist Dean Jones.
Bruno Lage was handed more than £120 million to strengthen his side in the summer and, following his sacking, the Portuguese’s replacement will expect to be able to invest come January.
What is the latest on Lopetegui?
According to The Telegraph, the former Sevilla boss was made the club’s top choice to replace Lage in the Molineux dugout.
A report from BBC Sport has since detailed that chairman Jeff Shi has flown to Spain in order to hold talks with Lopetegui over the vacant role in the West Midlands.
The outlet states that the 56-year-old is interested in the job but, due to the health of his father, is in a complicated position at present.
Lopetegui was dismissed as Sevilla manager after winning just one of his opening seven La Liga clashes this season, leaving them hovering ominously above the relegation zone.
What has Jones said on the manager hunt?
Jones understands that the January transfer window has to be considered when picking who should replace Lage as Wolves boss.
The journalist adds that the club’s squad is currently unbalanced and that the incoming manager would be allowed to make alterations in the summer.
Jones told GIVEMESPORT: “It’s a difficult squad in terms of the balance and how it's currently made up. But if they're going to bring in someone like Lopetegui, we also have to consider that means they're going to go into the transfer market in January. I think he’ll also be given opportunities to make changes in the way that he feels will be needed.”
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Where could he look to strengthen?
Wolves look incredibly thin on the ground when it comes to central defenders after Willy Boly and Conor Coady were both allowed to leave in the summer.
They then failed in their late attempts to bring Craig Dawson in from West Ham, leaving Nathan Collins and Max Kilman as their only experienced options.
Goals have been a big problem for the club as well, having found the back of the net just three times in eight games.
It would not be a surprise then to see Lopetegui, or whoever is appointed, look to bolster their striking options with Sasa Kalajdzic still some way from his return.
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