Wolverhampton Wanderers have overseen a significant summer shake-up ahead of the 2025/26 Premier League season. Under the guidance of head coach Vítor Pereira, the club has opted for a streamlined squad and a financial reset, saying goodbye to several senior players, including high-profile departures such as Matheus Cunha, Rayan Aït-Nouri, and Gonçalo Guedes.
With both first-team regulars and fringe players heading for the exit door, Wolves have not only cleared room for reinforcements but also generated around £100 million in sales, while significantly reducing their wage bill.
Massive Wolves Exodus: Cunha & Aït-Nouri Headline Clearout
Big Money Departures: Cunha & Aït-Nouri
Wolves’ biggest sale of the summer was undoubtedly Matheus Cunha, who joined Manchester United for £62.5 million in June. The Brazilian forward, who arrived for £44 million from Atlético Madrid, had become a talismanic figure at Molineux. Still, the club opted to cash in as Cunha stated a desire to leave.
Shortly after, Wolves sold Rayan Aït-Nouri to Manchester City for £31 million. The Algerian international had matured into one of the league’s most progressive wing-backs. Together, these two deals have brought in £92.5 million in transfer revenue.
Guedes Departs At A Big Loss
Gonçalo Guedes has now also left the club, signing for Real Sociedad for £3.4 million plus £1.7 million in add-ons. Guedes arrived from Valencia for a fee of £27.5 million, but never truly settled in the Premier League. After loan spells at Benfica, Villarreal, and a full season at Wolves, the club has opted to cut their losses and move on from the Portuguese winger.
End Of The Road For Three Veterans
Three experienced players were allowed to leave at the expiration of their contracts:
Pablo Sarabia – The Spanish playmaker made 66 league appearances for Wolves and scored some crucial goals during his time at the club. He has since joined Qatari club Al-Arabi.
Craig Dawson – A reliable servant in defence under Gary O’Neil, unregistered from the squad in January and allowed to leave as a free agent.
Nélson Semedo – Wolves Captain for the second half of the 2024/25 season, the Portuguese right-back departed after five years despite being offered a reported four-year deal. Semedo signed for Fenerbahçe.
The trio’s departure represents both a changing of the guard and significant wage relief, with reports suggesting that they were among the top earners at the club, with around £200,000 per week saved from these three alone.
Loans & Low Profile Exits
Several players were sent out on loan or moved permanently on low or undisclosed fees.
Tommy Doyle – Birmingham City (Loan)
Nasser Djiga – Rangers (Loan)
Boubacar Traoré – Metz (Loan)
Joe Hodge – Tondela (free transfer with sell-on clause)
Chiquinho – Alverca (free transfer with sell-on clause)
In total, Wolves have generated close to £97 million in transfer fees this summer while trimming down a bloated wage bill and giving Vítor Pereira both financial flexibility and a cleaner slate to work with heading into a new season, provided the owners back the manager.
The Bigger Picture: Pereira’s New Era
This wave of exits signals a decisive shift under Pereira. The club has moved away from an ageing and expensive squad model, instead focusing on more sustainable recruitment, such as the recent arrivals of Jhon Arias, Fer López, Strand Larsen, (Permanently) and David Møller Wolfe.
While fans may be concerned about the number of experienced players departing, as well as the low number of replacements, the financial clarity and squad focus could potentially benefit Wolves long-term, especially when navigating the financial fair play regulations.
What remains to be seen is whether the new signings can match the output of those who left. With the Premier League season fast approaching, Wolves’ squad is leaner and younger, which many fans think has made them much weaker. Still, the team facing Manchester City on August 16th will undoubtedly be different.
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