Wolves XI if they kept their best players; would this team get promoted?

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How could Wolverhampton Wanderers be lining up if they hadn’t sold their best players?

In recent years Wolverhampton Wanderers have been up and down the football league in quite dramatic fashion after suffering two promotions and two relegations inside the last eight seasons.

They have played in the top three flights of English football in the past four years and during that time, and before, they have bought and sold some very good players.

So here is a hypothetical look at how Wolves could have lined up if they had kept their best players and loan signings:

Goalkeeper

Wayne Hennessey

Wales international keeper Wayne Hennessey was part of the side that famously got to the semi-final of Euro 2016 before they were beaten by eventual champions Portugal.

The 29-year-old stopper spent 11 years at Wolves, making 166 first team appearances during his time at Molineux.

Now at Crystal Palace, Hennessey has established himself as a Premier League goalkeeper after featuring regularly for the Eagles last term.

Defence

George Friend

George Friend may not have been given the chance to prove himself at Wolves but now he is now seen as one of the most highly regarded Championship left-backs of recent years.

Now captain of newly promoted Premier League side Middlesbrough, the 28-year-old full-back would be an excellent addition for any second tier side.

Danny Batth

The current Wolves captain, Danny Batth became a regular in the starting 11 since the club’s relegation to League One in 2014 and has gone on to establish himself as a solid central-defender in the Championship.

Named in the 2013-14 PFA League One Team of the Year in his first full season as a first team regular, the 25-year-old is now one of the first names on Walter Zenga’s team sheet.

With over 150 Wanderers appearances already under his belt, Batth is one of the most experienced members of the current Wolves side and would undoubtedly be a solid member of this side.

Joleon Lescott

Now he may have fallen from grace in recent seasons but since leaving Wolves in 2006, Joleon Lescott went on to be capped 26 times by England and earn a £22m move to Manchester City where he won two Premier League titles, an FA Cup and a League Cup before moving back to the West Midlands to join West Bromwich Albion.

A hugely unsuccessful spell at Aston Villa followed though having said that there is no former Wolves player who is still playing professionally that is more decorated than Lescott and because of that, he earns a place in this team.

Stephen Ward

Former Wanderer Stephen Ward played 239 times during his seven season spell at the club, scoring nine goals.

The Republic of Ireland international was noted for his versatility as he could play in a number of positions in defence, midfield and even attack.

Now at Premier League side Burnley, Ward is still fondly remembered by Wolves fans for his winning goal against Liverpool in 2010 as well as helping the club survive relegation.

Eventually Wolves were relegated but Ward will always remain a highly respected player by the club and fans alike.

Midfield

Bakary Sako

Mali international winger Bakary Sako was regularly unplayable during his three season at Molineux as he amassed 38 goals in 124 appearances for the club.

Sako was a key member of Wolves’ record League One season in which they won the title with a massive 103 points with the winger contributing 12 league goals to end the season as the club’s joint top scorer.

He also brought plenty of assists to his game as well as he often proved to be Wolves’ biggest attacking threat before his move to Crystal Palace in 2015.

Tom Huddlestone

England international Tom Huddlestone has a brief spell on loan in the Championship at Wolves as a teenager where he made 13 appearances and scored his first professional goal.

Although as a loan signing Wolves never stood any real chance of keeping hold of him, Huddlestone has gone on to become a respected player in the middle of the park.

Now donning the orange and black of Hull City, the 29-year-old will be hoping to make a big impact back in the Premier League as he looks to keep the Tigers in the top flight following their positive start to the new season.

Andrew Surman

Another player who has established himself in the Premier League since leaving Wolves, Andrew Surman is currently plying his trade on the South Coast with Eddie Howe’s Bournemouth as they look to avoid second season syndrome in the top flight.

After struggling to break into Wolves’ first team, Surman was subsequently sold to Norwich before moving on to the Cherries where he has became a solid member of the starting 11.

The 30-year-old was key in Bournemouth’s Championship winning season in 2014/15 and has gone on to prove himself as a worthy Premier League player.

Matt Jarvis

Matt Jarvis was arguably Wolves’ stand-out player during their Premier League spell between 2009 and 2012 as he scored 15 goals over the three top flight seasons.

His performances earned him plenty of praise and also an England cap as his pace and delivery were crucial as Wolves battled to avoid the drop.

Eventually they were relegated and Jarvis moved on to West Ham United where he was a first team regular but struggled to make a significant impact as he was then moved on to Norwich City.

Now 30-years-old Jarvis is unlikely to reach the standard we saw during his spell at Wolves but he would still be a welcome and positive addition to the side if he were to ever return.

Attack

Leigh Griffiths

This one goes without saying, as Leigh Griffiths has proven himself to be one of the most prolific strikers in Europe after bagging 40 goals for Celtic last season.

Although he may be playing in the questionable standards of the Scottish Premiership, Griffiths has shown his ability to find the back of the net with deadly efficiency north of the border and would surely be able to prove effective in the Championship as well.

During his spell at Wolves, Griffiths bagged a respectable 13 goals in 30 matches though most of those came during the first half of the League One title winning campaign.

Still, few can argue with the figures and with 125 goals since 2011, Griffiths certainly knows where the net is and Wolves would surely be happy to have a goalscorer like him in their side.

Benik Afobe

With 23 goals in 43 matches Benik Afobe was in good form for Wolves prior to his £10m switch to Bournemouth in January 2016.

The former Arsenal man went on to score four times for the Cherries during the remainder of the season but now the return of Callum Wilson could limit the 23-year-old’s opportunities up-front.

Nonetheless he was a very good player during his times at Wolves where he made a name for himself as a proven goalscorer at Championship level though whether he can make it in the Premier League remains to be seen.

Full XI (4-4-2): Hennessey; Friend, Batth, Lescott, Ward; Sako, Huddlestone, Surman, Jarvis; Griffiths, Afobe

Substitutes: Ikeme, Vokes, K.Henry, Kightly, Guedioura, Doherty, Fletcher

Molineux