‘Developing rapidly’ - Julen Lopetegui in discussion over Wolves exit but stumbling block hit

Julen Lopetegui is currently in discussions over the potential termination of his Wolverhampton Wanderers contract, a reputable report has claimed on Tuesday afternoon.

The Spaniard has made his frustration at a lack of transfer activity public in recent weeks, while Wolves chairman Jeff Shi has rebuffed the need to abide by Financial Fair Play rules.

Just two signings have been made this summer – Matt Doherty and Tom King – with both players brought in on free deals. Lopetegui believes the project isn’t living up to expectations.

The situation has perhaps been made worse by the departures of Ruben Neves, Nathan Collins, Raul Jimenez and Ryan Giles – among others – as the squad depth has taken a hit.

Things are now moving quickly as Express & Star claims Lopetegui reported for duty at Compton Training Ground this morning for a meeting rather than his usual first-team session.

Wolves are unlikely to sack Lopetegui due to the need for a large payout, whereas the head coach’s high wages put him in a position where he won’t want to outwardly resign.

As a result, both parties are reportedly working on finding a resolution that is expected to ultimately lead to Lopetegui’s permanent departure from Molineux.

Former AFC Bournemouth boss Gary O’Neil has already been contacted as the frontrunner to replace him with less than a week to go until the start of Wolves’ Premier League campaign.