Kevin Phillips: Wolves can be a Premier League force

The Express & Star columnist – who is also a coach at Championship rivals Derby County – says Wolves’ current squad would be competitive in the top flight next season.

And with plans to redevelop Molineux, he expects them to become a regular part of the elite.

“I feel like the squad they have now could compete anyway,” he said. “But they will want to tweak it, get two or three in to really strengthen the squad. They have the money behind them, and I gather there are plans to redevelop Molineux if they can secure promotion to make that ground even bigger and noisier – then you could see Wolves back in the Premier League for a long time to come.”

Wolves need just four more wins from their final eight matches to secure automatic promotion, meaning they could get the points they need at home to Phillips’ Derby side on April 11. But just where does Phillips believe they could finish if, as expected, they get the job done?

“Looking at the Premier League as it is now, with the teams that are in there, I would fancy Wolves to finish just below halfway,” he said. “I see them playing better football, they’ve got more clinical in the top third than four, five, six or seven teams in the Premier League.

“I know it’s a different ball game with the pressure and so on when you get up there but they’ve got top quality players, players that have played in the Champions League. It’s just going to be a matter of time for them to get promoted. I hope not but it could come against us actually as we play them on a Wednesday night on Sky.

“They won’t be too far away, I’m sure of it, maybe a point or a win to get promoted.

“Once they do get promoted they will sit down and analyse it. There’ll be a few going out the door but they’ll strengthen even more.

“I think they will give it a right good go next season. But if you were to put them in this season I could see a mid-table finish, no problem.”

And Phillips believes Nuno – as he has done so successfully – will need to build from the back again. He said: “It’s no slight on any player already in there but I would say (they need) another centre-half. It could depend on what system he goes with in the Premier League.

“Would I say another striker? I don’t know. Benik Afobe has gone back there after finding it difficult to score goals for Bournemouth in the Premier League. That might be an area. Everyone wants as many strikers as you can in the top flight.

“First and foremost a centre-half that has that bit of Premier League experience and knows what it’s about.”