The new Wolves owner is ready to invest in the club’s youth development programme.
Wolverhampton Wanderers owner Jeff Shi has told the Express & Star he is hoping that the club’s latest batch of talented youngsters can make an immediate impact on Walter Zenga’s first team.
Already regarded as one of the country’s best, Wolves academy’s reputation has been enhanced in recent months with homegrown pair Dominic Iorfa and Kortney Hause establishing themselves in England’s under-21 set up.
Captain Danny Batth, midfielder Jack Price and goalkeeper Carl Ikeme have also graduated the club’s Compton base this past decade, and Shi is keen to continue that success after seizing control in the summer.
Having sanctioned 13 new signings in the summer, including club-record buy Ivan Cavaleiro, the Chinese businessman has revealed the next step is to invest in homegrown talent.
“After the first team our second priority is the academy. It’s very important,” he told the Express & Star.
“I have spoken with the academy coaches and we have quite a lot of very good young players. I hope next season, or even this winter, some young players could play for the first team. We will enhance the investment into the academy and try to find some good players.
“I took Laurie (Dalrymple, Wolves’ managing director) and Kevin (Thelwell, sporting director) to Portugal and visited Benfica and I think they have quite a good academy there.
“The academy now is quite good – I hope we can make it world class to produce world class players. We should enhance that. The more academy players in our first team is better for us.”
Wolves have made a promising start under the new regime and are currently two points off the play-offs with 10 games played.
However, they face a difficult task against Norwich City this weekend, with the Canaries currently second in the standings.
And Zenga’s side should prepare for a backlash, after their visitors let slip a two-goal lead to lose 4-3 against Newcastle United on Wednesday.
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