Five Wolves players guaranteed a spot after the January window - with two surprises

The January transfer window is nearly upon us with Julen Lopetegui ready to make reinforcements at Wolverhampton Wanderers after taking over from Bruno Lage in the dugout. The Spaniard is yet to take charge of a game with his new club, but with the lengthy World Cup break he will have plenty of time to assess the current crop at Molineux.

As is the nature of bringing in a new manager with an opportunity for transfers on the horizon, it is likely that Lopetegui will be eager to bring in some fresh faces at the dawn of the new year. Wolves have statistically the worst attack in the Premier League this campaign, so some additions up top wouldn’t come as too much of a shock.

Lopetegui now has just over a month to work with the squad as the World Cup plays out in Qatar. As just five made the cut for their respective international sides - Jose Sa, Ruben Neves, Matheus Nunes, Hwang Hee-chan and Raul Jimenez - it gives Lopetgui the chance to judge the majority of whom he’s working with in great detail.

With that being said, we’ve taken a look at the five players we think will definitely remain at Wolves after the January transfer window - with the majority playing a key role in a new-look side. One or two may come as a slight surprise given the past criticism from pundits and supporters.

Matheus Nunes

The Portuguese midfielder has really struggled since signing for Wolves, but we feel Nunes could become a key player under Lopetegui. This may come as a surprise as he’s certainly not been short of criticism, but Lopetgui’s system focuses on attacks starting through the centre of the field. We believe this shift will help Nunes excel.

Boubacar Traore

Another summer signing, Traore has taken a while to settle in at Molineux after being loaned from French side FC Metz. Just before the World Cup break, however, Traore was starting to come into his own and is likely to be a regular starter as a deep-lying midfielder. We feel there is very little chance of a loan recall, and if anything, Lopetegui may want him permanently.

Hugo Bueno

Enjoying a breakout season with the Wolfpack, particularly in the last few games, Bueno is likely to remain at the club. He made five successive starts before the international break got underway and - although we don’t think he’ll be a starter upon the Premier League’s return - he should be in Lopetegui’s plans for the future.

Jose Sá

Despite the fact Wolves are rock bottom of the league going into Christmas, Sá hasn’t been the reason for the downfall. Yes, there have been 24 goals conceded in 16 games, but the man between the sticks has been one of the better players in a difficult season. He’s made 40 saves, two of which stopped penalty kicks. We don’t see Wolves signing a replacement.

Adama Traore

Hasn’t been at his best since returning from a loan spell at La Liga giants Barcelona, but still has plenty of quality. Traore’s contract expires at the end of the season and so you would think Wolves would be tempted to cash in, but Lopetegui has already said Traore is a key part of his plans. Perhaps a surprise for some.