Wolves return for pre-season under new head coach Bruno Lage - IN PICTURES
New boss Bruno Lage met a decent portion of his players for the first time as Wolves returned to Compton for the start of pre-season.
The 45-year-old Portuguese got familiar with his fresh surroundings and some of the squad he is taking over as preparations for the 2021/22 Premier League season officially got under way.
Wolves' players – aside from those who have been away with their countries this summer and the new signings – reported for Covid-19 testing and other assessments at the training ground yesterday morning.
It is understood they then began a proper session in the evening, ahead of the first friendly of the summer at Crewe a week on Saturday.
Among those to check in at Compton was star striker Raul Jimenez, who is getting ready to step up his recovery from a fractured skull.
The Mexican is hoping to return to action soon following his injury at Arsenal last November and subsequent surgery.
Veteran keeper John Ruddy, defenders Max Kilman and Ki-Jana Hoever, and midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White also got back to work, while last campaign's standout player Pedro Neto stopped by as he continues his rehab after a knee operation in April.
Lage's first Wolves signing, Colombian centre-half Yerson Mosquera was not present as he is currently self-isolating.
Francisco Trincao – snapped up over the weekend from Barcelona on loan with the option to buy for around £25million – is yet to arrive in the country and will have to isolate when he does.
It is a similar situation for Rayan Ait-Nouri, for whom an initial £10m deal has been agreed but not officially confirmed by the club as of yet.
Portugal quartet Rui Patricio, Nelson Semedo, Ruben Neves and Joao Moutinho were not at Compton either as they are on their summer breaks after their Euro exertions.
The same applies to Belgium's Leander Dendoncker, while Adama Traore and Conor Coady remain at the tournament with Spain and England respectively.
Romain Saiss and Willy Boly are understood to have been given more time off, too, after playing internationals for Morocco and Ivory Coast respectively in June.
Lage will aim to get his philosophy across quickly at Compton, with Wolves set to travel to Marbella for a warm-weather camp later this month.
They will face Real Betis in Spain and welcome fellow La Liga side Celta Vigo to Molineux before starting the league campaign at Leicester.
