Julen Lopetegui seeking clarity on Wolves summer plans

Wolves are facing a difficult summer with Financial Fair Play concerns, but the head coach is eager to invest and push the team forward.

Several meetings have taken place regarding the summer budget and with Lopetegui’s future up in the air, the Spaniard has called for clarity and a resolution in the coming days.

“We are talking about the present and the possible future. What is going to be the possible future, about the possibility to invest and to imagine the team we can achieve,” he said.

“At the moment I think we have to continue talking to know better in the next days to have the possibility or idea of where we are and where we want to go. We are talking in a healthy environment, in a positive way, trying to know better what is going to be our real situation.

“I have to talk with them and I will continue to talk and try to put on the table my thoughts, what is my idea and at the same time to hear their idea of where we are and where we want to go and then see if we want to go or not.

“It is a moment when we have to take a decision because all the clubs want more each year and it’s very difficult.

“I am not asking for incredible signings. I am thinking of signing good players, young players, maybe Championship players, I don’t know.

“I am not thinking we are going to sign from Real Madrid or Barcelona, no. I am aware of our reality.

“But in our reality we have to be demanding now if we want to be demanding after.”

Lopetegui admitted recently that he was unaware of Wolves’ FFP concerns when he joined the club – and he is now in a position where is must manage his ‘dreams’ and ‘reality’.

He added: “When I came here, I came very happy with a big commitment, in a very hard situation for the club.

“A very difficult situation. All of us put everything into these months, always thinking if we are able to save the team, if we are able to improve, we will be able to dream for different things. But one thing is the dream, another is the reality.

“I have to balance what the real situation is for us. It is true, it is not imagined, that we had a serious problem this year despite the club making an investment in the summer. Because in the Premier League a lot of teams are going to go despite investing a lot because this is the Premier League.

“That is why it is very important to be ready for the next season and why I want to know more about our possibilities to have more clear my future next year. After I have seen this picture I can transmit my thoughts about the next year.

“Now is the moment to talk, now is the moment to discuss, now is the moment to take a decision, not after one or two months. It is now. That is all. This is normal in a lot of teams.

“Maybe here it is highlighted more because we are safe three matches before. We have put the focus on other issues. But this is the situation.”

Not only does Lopetegui want clarity on the spending situation, but he is also determined to have his squad complete by July, to allow him time to work with them during pre-season.

He said: “I think if we want to be able to be better the next year, we have to be better in the summer. If not, it is impossible. We are aware that maybe we are going to have to do important changes in the squad because this is the market. I don’t know what is going to happen.

“It is true that it is new for me to know about financial problems. I didn’t know about them before. That’s why we have all this talk. After I have to talk with them and I will continue talking.

“It’s about not how much, but about what players we are going to have.

“This is the more important thing, the names of the players. And a very important thing for me as a coach is that in the start of July — in one month we are working again — to have the squad ready to work.

“For me this is key. If not, you lose a lot of advantage for all the season.

“This is a trigger — a key point for me.

“I have suffered in this situation and I have enjoyed the squad list ready to start working in the first day in July.

“It’s not going to be easy because we have to make a lot of changes but all of this for me is important and it’s one reason to discuss and have more clarity about the picture.”

Despite all of this uncertainty around Lopetegui’s future, the head coach does still have a two-year contract remaining at Wolves and as it stands right now, he is still planning to be the manager for next season.

He added: “I have a contract here. I am a coach for next year here now. But we will see what will happen because this is football, it is important to talk.

“I came here with one context that maybe it was going to be different for different reasons and I don’t have the power about this situation.

“This is the world, life, business and it can change. I have a responsibility here and I want to be responsible and know the final picture and I am going to take my opinion for the chairman.”