Which loan stars have a long-term future at Wolves?
Wolves have three players whose loan deals could be made permanent at the end of the season – but who are they likely to buy?
Experienced striker Willian Jose, teenage full-back Rayan Ait-Nouri and fellow youngster Vitinha could all be purchased in the summer.
However, with pretty hefty fees attached to each of them, it is not guaranteed that all three will see their stays at Molineux extended.
So, let’s assess the impact of Jose, Ait-Nouri and Vitinha so far, and rate their chances of being signed for next campaign and beyond.
Willian Jose (£22m option)
Despite having only played three games since his arrival from Real Sociedad last month, Jose, at this stage, seems the most likely to be snapped up.
The 29-year-old Brazilian, as boss Nuno Espirito Santo put it at the end of the transfer window, was someone who was ‘truly needed’ and has made a very good impression with his early displays.
He has given Wolves a focal point, a proper presence in attack – something they did not have after Raul Jimenez’s injury.
Jose won the penalty which turned the game on its head against Arsenal on Tuesday night and held the ball up with aplomb.
You get the feeling he could compliment Jimenez quite nicely once the Mexican returns to action, too, giving Nuno the option to mix things up and play with a more traditional strike pairing.
Of course, it is not a given and £22million may be a bit off-putting to some considering his age, but you would imagine it is just a matter of time until he opens his Wolves account.
A seasoned professional rather than someone with a vast amount of potential, Jose appears to be the safest bet at the moment.
Rayan Ait-Nouri (£20m option)
Inconsistent is probably the word which sums Ait-Nouri up best thus far.
When he has been on it, he has been magnificent – enjoying a dream debut against Crystal Palace, for example.
But there has been a few well-below-par displays from the 19-year-old as well, with Leicester away and Brighton away springing to mind.
Ait-Nouri, who has missed the last couple of games with a muscle problem, has blown hot and cold, which is fair enough for someone with so many years ahead of them.
The issue is whether Wolves are willing to be patient with him.
Also, with Jonny Castro Otto set to come back from injury and Fernando Marcal – although he has been plagued by knocks – on the books as well, can the club really afford to spend £20m on a player who is most likely going to be back-up?
Ait-Nouri is very cultured with the ball at his feet. He is a gifted footballer.
But when it comes to outright defending, he is very much a work in progress. Currently, the jury is out.
Vitinha (£18m option)
We have not seen a lot of Vitinha but when he has featured, he has done pretty well.
His goal at Chorley was a scorcher which got Wolves through a difficult evening, and he has had some eye-catching cameos as a substitute – carrying the ball with grace and flair against the Gunners.
But his contributions so far, honestly, do not warrant an £18m fee.
With Nuno playing a 4-3-3 against Arsenal and finally returning to winning ways, Vitinha may be able to get some more game time under his belt in the coming weeks.
He will be hoping that is the case because he has only had 224 minutes in the top flight so far, making just two starts.
Of the three, the Portuguese playmaker currently looks the worst-placed for a permanent deal.
Wolves’ midfield needs bolstering, but probably with someone more ready-made than Vitinha.
