Wolves boss Gary O’Neil has some key decisions to make over the future of four players who see their contracts expire in 2025.
Gary O’Neil may not feel he has the luxury of being able to look too far into the future given he’s put himself under pressure with the Wolves fanbase.
The Old Gold are currently winless in the Premier League and last time out, O’Neil called Wolves defeat to Brentford the worst of his managerial career.
An international break gives the Wanderers boss food for thought over how to transform the situation and that could start with a change of formation against Manchester City.
Looking further into the future, though, and O’Neil has multiple contract decisions to make, with Nelson Semedo, Pablo Sarabia, Craig Dawson and Mario Lemina seeing their deals expire in 2025.
Wolves should hand Craig Dawson and Mario Lemina new contracts
Handing captain Lemina a new contract is the easiest decision on the list, with the Gabon international a crucial player in the Wanderers engine room.
Lemina was only given the Wolves armband during the summer following the departure of Max Kilman, and while he’s been out of form as of late, he has the quality and drive to turn the narrative around.
Danny Murphy recently labelled Lemina as ‘terrific’ and getting the 31-year-old back to form will be pivotal to their survival hopes.
Perhaps surprisingly, O’Neil should consider giving Dawson a new short-term contract. The Englishman may turn 35 in May next year but for what he’s given to the club, he deserves a one-year deal.
Dawson isn’t just important on the pitch but his leadership qualities and experiences are invaluable to the younger players.
Wolves shouldn’t give Nelson Semedo and Pablo Sarabia new contracts
O’Neil shouldn’t give Semedo a new deal before his current one expires in 2025.
Not only has the Portuguese international seen a drop off in form this term, but he earns £80k-a-week – the second highest in the Wolves squad – and turns 31 in November.
With the club moving towards a strategy of signing younger players and Pedro Lima working towards a first-team place, it wouldn’t be wise to give Semedo a new deal.
Sarabia is in a similar position to his Portuguese teammate, with the Spaniard also earning £80k-a-week and by the time his contract runs down, he will have turned 33.
The former PSG man can count himself unfortunate not to have featured more this term, playing just 28 minutes in the league however, as far as his long-term future goes, that should be away from Molineux.
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