Gary O’Neil would have been impressed with one Wolves star who shone on international duty this week.
As the summer transfer window fast approaches, Gary O’Neil will have a significant job on his hands to get his Wolves squad in order.
On top of navigating new arrivals, the manager will have 15 returning loan players to assess, with it poised to be a busy summer at Molineux.
Added to that, O’Neil will have decisions to make on some young players’ futures after last season, although, one figure may have made the boss’ life easier with his recent development.
Wolves starlet Tawanda Chirewa shone for Zimbabwe on international duty
Wolves have several players ready for international action this summer, with the Copa America and the Euros kicking off soon.
Away from the two tournaments, Wolves starlet Tawanda Chirewa has been in action for Zimbabwe in the World Cup qualifiers.
The 20-year-old has featured against Lesotho and South Africa over the past week, with his display against South Africa seeing him capture the headlines.
O’Neil’s head may have been turned as the versatile youngster scored for Zimbabwe during their 3-1 defeat, putting on an impressive performance.
The Wolves academy jewel was hailed as a ‘baller’ by journalist Thomas Mlambo for his showing, lauding the forward as being a player who caused ‘plenty of problems’.
It’s set to be a crucial summer for Chirewa both domestically and internationally, with his display against South Africa perhaps giving O’Neil something to think about.
Gary O’Neil has a decision to make with Chirewa
As a result of Wolves’ lack of depth last season, the manager was forced to call up academy talents in order to replenish the numbers.
For some, their audition came too soon, suggesting that perhaps a loan spell could be beneficial next term although, Chirewa showed an opposing light.
The former Ipswich Town starlet made eight Premier League appearances over 2023/24 and looked comfortable, with the highlight being his 75-minute display against Arsenal.
After thriving on international duty, O’Neil could be tempted to make more ambitious plans for Chirewa, who could have a part to play at Wolves next season.
It will be interesting to see how the 20-year-old approaches pre-season, which will give an indication to how the 2024/25 campaign could look for him at Molineux and beyond.