Wolverhampton Wanderers are interested in reappointing Nuno Espirito Santo after firing Bruno Lage. So, where are the Portuguese’s first Wolves XI from back in August 2017 now?
The Express & Star reports that Nuno features on Wolves’ list of potential managers after sacking Lage earlier this month. Chairman Jeff Shi is guiding the West Midlands side’s hunt for a new head coach and will continue interviewing possible coaches in the coming days.
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Shi has already spoken with Rob Edwards after Watford fired the 39-year-old after just 11 games in charge last month. He took over the Hornets during this summer following their relegation to the Championship, having worked in League Two with Forest Green Rovers.
Andre Villas-Boas is another name on Shi’s shortlist after Julen Lopetegui rejected a chance to replace Lage. Wolves sacked the 46-year-old after 15 months in charge following a poor start to the Premier League season. They had lost four and won one of their eight matches.
Nuno is also interested in returning to Wolves after Lage’s dismissal
Lage replaced Nuno in July 2021 after Wolves fired the 48-year-old just a year into his new three-year contract. The Molineux hierarchy targeted a change after only finishing the top-flight term in 13th. He had led them to successive seventh-place finishes in the two before.
Nuno is now in charge of At-Ittihad after taking charge of the Saudi Arabian team in July. It would take Wolves paying significant compensation to break the Portuguese from his deal with the Jeddah outfit. But Nuno is interested in discussing any potential return to Wolves.
The Al-Ittihad boss spent four years in charge at Molineux and oversaw the club’s rise into the Premier League. He stood at the helm for 199 games over all competitions for 96 wins and 46 draws. Wolves also scored 283 times to 218 goals conceded during Nuno’s tenure.
Nuno’s spell in the Black Country also saw Wolves reach the FA Cup semi-finals in 2018/19 on the back of winning the Championship title in 2017/18. But where are the 11 who made up his first starting XI in charge as the Molineux outfit overcame Middlesbrough 1-0 now?
John Ruddy (GK): Nuno started now-Birmingham star in his first Wolves XI
John Ruddy started in goal as Nuno made his debut in charge of Wolves at home to Boro in August 2017. The 35-year-old had signed for the Molineux outfit in a Bosman deal that July after leaving Norwich City. He would stay there until this July and joining Birmingham City.
Matt Doherty (RWB): Tottenham signed the Ireland star from Wolves in 2020
Tottenham Hotspur signed Matt Doherty from Wolves in August 2020 for £15m on a four-year contract. The Republic of Ireland star had spent 10 years at Molineux and played 302 games across all competitions. He also laid on 41 assists and scored 28 goals at the club.
Willy Boly (CB): Nottingham Forest signed the Ivorian from Wolves in September
Willy Boly sealed a deadline day transfer to Nottingham Forest this September for an initial £2.25m, rising to £4.5m. The Ivory Coast international was one of Nuno’s first signings with Wolves in 2017. He agreed to a loan deal from FC Porto that became permanent for £10m.
Roderick Miranda (CB): Melbourne Victory signed the Portuguese in 2021
Melbourne Victory signed Roderick Miranda in October 2021 after the Portuguese had left Gaziantep FK. The Chinese side had only signed the centre-half from Wolves that February after four years at Molineux. He joined under Nuno for £2.5m but only played in 19 games.
Conor Coady (CB): Wolves sent Nuno’s first captain to Everton this summer
Conor Coady captained Wolves in Nuno’s first game in charge as the Molineux natives beat Middlesbrough 1-0. The 29-year-old moved to the West Midlands from Huddersfield Town in 2015. He stayed there until joining Everton on loan in August with a £4.5m option to buy.
Nuno could rue Lage for sanctioning the deal should Wolves step up the club’s interest in a possible reunion. Coady quickly became an instrumental part of Everton’s backline with his leadership proving hugely important for Frank Lampard alongside some vital interceptions.
Barry Douglas (LWB): Former Wolves star is now in Poland with Lech Poznan
Barry Douglas spent just a year at Molineux as he joined Leeds United after helping Wolves win the Championship for £3m. The one-cap Scotland defender was a key part of their title triumph with five goals and 14 assists from 39 league outings after joining from Konyaspor.
Marcelo Bielsa benefited from Douglas’ creativity during the 2018/19 Championship term with five assists in 26 games. But his importance regressed the following season before he joined Blackburn Rovers on loan. Leeds then released Douglas, who joined Lech Poznan.
Romain Saiss (CM): Besiktas signed the Morocco captain in July
Besiktas signed Romain Saiss in July after Wolves released the Morocco captain at the end of his contract. The 32-year-old had spent six seasons at Molineux after arriving in August 2016 from Angers SCO. He made 206 appearances for 15 goals during his time at the club.
Ruben Neves (CM): Nuno broke Wolves’ transfer record to sign the Portuguese
Nuno used Ruben Neves in his first XI in charge of Wolves after breaking the club’s transfer record to sign the Portuguese. The 25-year-old left Porto for £15m after honing his trade in the Liga Portugal giants’ academy. Neves has now taken over Wolves’ captaincy this term.
Bright Enobakhare (RW): The former Nigeria talent is now a free agent
Bright Enobakhare is now a free agent at 24 years old after leaving Hapoel Jerusalem back in June. The former Nigeria U23 talent was a product of Wolves’ academy and progressed to make 49 first-team appearances. He has not featured more regularly at a single side yet.
The centre-forward made 26 of his Wolves appearances during Nuno’s debut season at the club. But after loan moves to Kilmarnock, Coventry City and Wigan Athletic, Nuno released Enobakhare in 2020. He has since played with AEK Athens, SC East Bengal and Coventry.
Leo Bonatini (ST): Lage overlooked Nuno’s signing before his exit from Wolves
Lage had overlooked Leo Bonatini prior to Wolves sacking the Portuguese after the striker returned to Molineux in June. Nuno initially hired the 28-year-old in August 2017 before a permanent move was secured with Al-Hilal in 2018. He scored 12 goals during that season.
But Bonatini struggled to adapt to the demands of the Premier League under Nuno, who granted loan moves to Nottingham Forest, Vitoria Guimaraes and Grasshoppers. The Belo Horizonte native returned from Grasshoppers this June after 20 goals with the Zurich side.
Diogo Jota (LW): Liverpool signed the Portugal star from Wolves in 2020
Liverpool signed Diogo Jota from Wolves in September 2020 for an initial £41m, rising to £45m with add-ons. The Portuguese had spent three years at Molineux after joining from Atletico Madrid in an initial loan. He had also struck 44 and created 19 goals in 131 games.
So, if Nuno returns to Wolves amid his interest in replacing Lage and the Molineux outfit’s interest in his potential return, he would reunite with just two from his first XI in charge.
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