“He is massive to us, I’m desperate for him to stay, if we want to be really serious about keeping our best players and ones that represent me in the way they perform”- Gary O’Neil admits he desperately wants Wolves to stay at Molineux this summer as he urges club board to find solution to keep player

Gary O’Neil is adamant that one of his main Wolves players needs to stick around this summer, amid some recent speculation linking him with an exit.

Wolves finished their 2023/24 campaign with a defeat to Liverpool at Anfield. Wanderers lost 2-0, in what was Jurgen Klopp’s farewell match for the Reds.

After Nelson Semedo got sent off, the visitors conceded to Alexis Mac Allister and then Jarell Quansah. It was disappointing to lose, but few really expected Wolves to get anything for the game given the circumstances.

In a week when Wolves tabled a motion to get VAR scrapped, Gary O’Neil again found himself talking about a controversial decision with the Semedo red card. The full-back was initially given a yellow, but it was then upgraded to a red.

O’Neil attached no blame to Semedo though, and the manager is adamant that he wants the star to stay at the club this summer… Just recently, there has been a little bit of talk about Semedo’s future at Molineux.

He’s just completed his fourth season at the club, and it has been his best campaign yet. He was voted Players’ Player of the Season, and he himself believes this has been his best season in old gold.

Semedo has a year left on his contract and that always raises questions for club. He is one of the highest earners at the club, and Fosun may well look at potentially selling.

But doing that would not go down well with O’Neil, who lavished praise on Semedo after Sunday’s defeat to Liverpool.

He said (via E&S): “Nelson Semedo is massive to us, huge. I’m desperate for him to stay beyond a year and hopefully the club can get something sorted for him.

“He’s had a fantastic season and if we want to be really serious about keeping our best players and ones that represent me in the way they perform, Nelson is huge to us. Hopefully we can keep him for longer.”

“I haven’t spoken to him, but I know he’s really happy here. He says it’s probably the best season he’s ever had, but you never know.

“If Real Madrid or Manchester City ring, he’s a footballer who wants to achieve and play at the highest level.

“But apart from anything crazy like that, I know he likes it here. He likes the group and likes working with the staff. He knows how much we appreciate what he does. I don’t think he would be against staying around.”

O’Neil’s post-match comments about Semedo are hardly a surprise given how much he has used him in the 2023/24 season. Semedo has featured heavily this term, and has certainly taken his game to another level under O’Neil compared to previous managers.

Semedo, who signed for Wolves for an initial £29 million, has been linked with an exit from Wolves this summer. Apparently, there is interest from some Saudi clubs. The club should be looking to keep hold of the player, because he is proven in the Premier League and would be difficult to replace.

O’Neil’s feelings about him are crystal clear, so it is now on the board to ensure he does not depart this summer. Of course, the player could always turn around and decide he wants out. In which case, O’Neil will take that on the chin and look for alternatives.