Wolves in transfer U-turn for £43.5m attacking duo as Gary O'Neil unveils new plan

Wolverhampton Wanderers are now set to keep attacking duo Gonçalo Guedes and Daniel Podence at the club despite interest from elsewhere.

The expectation throughout the summer window has been for both wingers to depart in an attempt to regain some of the combined £43.5 million in transfer fees paid, but O’Neil has decided to offer game time assurances. All things considered, it’s quite a significant U-turn, especially given previous doubts of attitude and mentality.

Guedes and Podence both started as Wolves beat Burnley on Wednesday night to progress to the Carabao Cup third round, with the former netting the only two goals of the encounter. Chiquinho, another winger who has been linked with a move away but set to stay, played the full 90 minutes at Molineux.

It’s been a tricky summer for Wolves as O’Neil hasn’t been able to spend freely, even despite the whopping £92 million raised by the sales of Maximilian Kilman and Pedro Neto to West Ham United and Chelsea.

It’s understood the Old Gold are hopeful of signing Andre from Fluminense and Sam Johnstone from Crystal Palace before Friday’s deadline, but other business could be tricky. Centre-back is the next priority if another move is to be completed, while the wings are covered by the current crop. Or at least that’s what O’Neil has suggested.

“The transfer window hasn’t gone quite as we’d have liked so far, but Daniel [Podence], Guedes, Chiquinho have been great,” the head coach admitted to Express & Star after the Burnley clash. “I expect Guedes and Podence to be here after the window,” O’Neil went on to say.