Wolverhampton Wanderers’ relegation has been confirmed, a fall that comes earlier in the season than for almost every other side. Only five teams have ever been relegated earlier than Wolverhampton Wanderers, and that timeline will shape the club’s summer.

A drop to the Championship often triggers significant turnover. Ambitious players look elsewhere and high earners can be moved on, leaving potential value for clubs in need of reinforcements. Below are four Wolves players who, on the basis of their season and profiles, are likely to draw interest from Premier League clubs.

João Gomes looks unlikely to be playing second-tier football next season. The 25-year-old, on the fringes of the Brazil squad, has been an all-action, high energy presence in midfield, disrupting opponents and adding attacking output. Gomes is expected to be on the shortlists of a number of top sides, with Manchester United most recently named as admirers. In a market that also includes Elliot Anderson, Adam Wharton and Sandro Tonali, Gomes could be an excellent alternative for clubs expanding their search.

André arrived at Wolves in the summer of 2024, a move that surprised some after strong reports suggested Liverpool were pursuing him 12 months earlier when he chose to remain with Fluminense to continue his development. Renewed interest from Liverpool should be treated cautiously, but there will be admirers across England. Wolves are likely to consider sales to raise funds for a squad rebuild. A modern-day playmaking midfielder, André is less mobile than Gomes and that may limit his ceiling, but he would suit teams aiming to reach the European races.

Mateus Mané is an 18-year-old midfielder Wolves would prefer to keep, yet he is likely to attract interest from the top of the Premier League. He rose rapidly through the youth ranks and was promoted to the first team for the second half of the season as Wolves prepared for life in the Championship. A rare feel-good story at Molineux, Mané is homegrown, having moved to England at eight, and will face tempting offers.

Likewise, Hugo Bueno is another homegrown talent who looks capable of taking his career to the next level this summer.

Arne Slot moved to calm nerves after Alexis Mac Allister was withdrawn late against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Friday. The substitution looked worrying at the time, but Slot offered reassurance when asked about the midfielder’s condition: “I think so, yes.”

The match also marked the return of Florian Wirtz from injury, a timely addition to Liverpool’s squad, although the team did not ultimately require his influence to control the game. At the base of midfield, Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch provided solidity and composure, while Mohamed Salah and Curtis Jones delivered productive displays further forward.

Teenage winger Rio Ngumoha emerged as the standout performer. He “stole the show and was unfortunate not to join his teammates on the score sheet,” drawing praise and attention for his display. That performance intensified debate around the player who has been limiting his opportunities this season, Cody Gakpo.

Gakpo started in an unfamiliar role as a central striker and struggled to look comfortable. The draft of his performance underlined a wider issue: those difficulties can also be said for many of his appearances as a left winger this season. The continued rise of attacking options complicates selection decisions for Slot.

Wirtz’s introduction from the bench adds further options to an already crowded midfield. Slot now has an abundance of confident, in-form players to call on as Liverpool prepare for a demanding trip to Türkiye to face Galatasaray in midweek. If Liverpool’s attack-minded stars continue to build form, selection pressures will increase and Slot’s choices may be tested.

For now, the immediate concern over Mac Allister appears to have been eased. The match offered evidence of the squad’s depth and posed fresh selection questions as Liverpool look ahead to their midweek fixture and the remainder of the season.

The relegation battle in the 2025/26 Premier League tightened significantly after Tottenham Hotspur’s 3-1 defeat to Crystal Palace. Positive results for West Ham United (a 1-0 win over Fulham) and Nottingham Forest (a 2-2 draw at Manchester City) left both clubs level on 28 points and intensified the fight at the bottom.

Leeds United remain precarious. Daniel Farke’s side sit 15th, just three points clear of the current relegation group, making this a contest that could shift quickly.

Opta’s supercomputer produces the following projection for the bottom six:

– Leeds: current 31 points, expected 42.09, relegation chance 8.09%
– Tottenham: current 29 points, expected 40.04, relegation chance 16.10%
– Nottingham Forest: current 28 points, expected 39.08, relegation chance 26.88%
– West Ham: current 28 points, expected 37.49, relegation chance 49.53%
– Burnley: current 19 points, expected 27.07, relegation chance 99.36%
– Wolves: current 16 points, expected 24.62, relegation chance 99.92%

Wolverhampton Wanderers have improved form after a draw with Arsenal and successive wins over Aston Villa and Liverpool, but the supercomputer underlines that their season was effectively over months ago, with the club not recording a victory until the 20th game. Burnley sit 10 points adrift; Opta’s model projects only eight more points for the Clarets and expects their return to the Championship to be confirmed well before the final day.

The model largely maintains the current ordering and gives West Ham the highest chance of relegation among the quartet fighting to avoid the drop into the second tier. Forest are forecast to finish two points clear of the relegation places, with Tottenham projected to reach 40.04 points and stand as the final side to reach the 40-point threshold. Opta assigns a 16.10% chance of relegation to Igor Tudor’s side, a near doubling of their previous prediction before Thursday’s defeat. The fixture between Tottenham and Forest on March 22 now carries clear significance for both clubs.