It will be a very interesting summer at Wolves, with a number of players likely to be departing – and journalist Liam Keen has suggested two of the highest-paid stars at Molineux could be off.
Several high-profile players left the club last summer, as Wolves battled to stay on the right side of profit and sustainability rules.
It will not be as manic this time around, but it is still expected that Wanderers will offload a few top players.
Pedro Neto and Rayan Ait-Nouri are seemingly the most likely big sales at the moment.
But it has been suggested that the club could be ready to offload two of the most experienced players in the squad this summer as a result of their current contract situations…
Top earners Nelson Semedo and Pablo Sarabia could leave Wolves this summer
Liam Keen has been speaking about potential activity at the club this summer, and there is a possibility that Nelson Semedo and Pablo Sarabia could both be leaving.
The pair have been important players for Gary O’Neil this season, with Semedo called upon at almost every turn. Sarabia started the season on the bench, but injuries throughout the campaign have allowed him to get into the team and stay there, and he’s had largely a pretty good campaign.
Despite their status as top-earning experienced stars at the club (Sarabia £90,000 per week and Semedo £80,000 per week), both could leave Molineux this summer.
Keen explained on the E&S podcast: “I think if Wolves were to get a decent fee, then it would be silly to suggest the club wouldn’t be open to it. If they were to depart, it would knock huge numbers off their wages, their average wage bill.
“You’ve got to bear in mind from the player point of view, they’re both on a year left on their contracts. At their ages, they could probably both go and get, particularly Semedo, a three-year deal at a club that’s going to give them good money. Basically a ‘last big move’ scenario.
“If that was the right move I think all parties would be open to it for both players, but more in Semedo’s case.
“It’s not out of the question they sign an extension and stay at Wolves. Wolves value both players, Gary O’Neil likes them, particularly Semedo. But from a business point of view, it makes a lot of sense for both of them to go. It wouldn’t shock me in the slightest if those two are two of the first out the door.”
Semedo would be the greater loss
It will be fascinating to see what happens with these two players this summer.
Both have had good seasons, with Semedo definitely going to a new level under O’Neil. Arguably, he would be a greater loss than Sarabia.
Sarabia has done well, but there have still been a number of games where he has frustrated. He is creative and a great technician, but sometimes it feels like he slows things down and that he doesn’t fit the system as well as the quicker players like Matheus Cunha and Hwang Hee-chan.
Sarabia has been linked with a move to Besiktas this week. Semedo has been linked with a move to the Saudi Pro League.
We’ll see what transpires, but the duo only having a year left this summer means big decisions will need to be taken either way.
