Three players Wolves must sell in January, including under-fire summer signing

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Wolves are top of the Championship and seemingly heading for the Premier League – but who should be kicked off the journey?

The downside to bringing in some of the finest players the Championship has seen in many a year is that such impressive recruitment leaves decent players tumbling down the pecking order and looking increasingly redundant.

Wolves, after reinforcing almost every position in their squad, are favourites for promotion and rightly so. But with their Chinese owners set to spend again, the Championship leaders should perhaps give some thought to outgoings as well as incomings.

But who could be in danger of a departure in January?

Ben Marshall

You have to feel for Marshall. The talented winger made a real impact at Molineux when arriving from Blackburn Rovers in January, helping Paul Lambert’s underperforming side steer clear of the relegation zone.

With Lambert replaced at the helm by Nuno Espirito Santo in the summer, and the sublime Diogo Jota arriving on loan from Atletico Madrid, Marshall’s opportunities have dried up.

He’s started just one Championship game all season and, according to The Sun (page 61, 8^th October) will be allowed to leave on loan in the New Year.

Roderick Miranda

Now, Wolves may only have signed Miranda from Portuguese side Rio Ave in the summer. But, in contrast to Ruben Neves, Ivan Caveleiro and co, the centre-half is yet to prove that he can adapt to English football.

A lack of speed and physicality has many Wolves fans calling for the 26-year-old to be dropped, particularly after he was bullied by QPR’s Matt Smith in a recent shock defeat at Loftus Road.

Nuno has started Miranda in 14 Championship games so far this season but, with no shortage of money on the table, you really do get the feeling that Wolves could do better.

Harry Burgoyne

Talented though he is, don’t expect to see 20-year-old goalkeeper Burgoyne make too many appearances in the first team this season. Not only is the experienced John Ruddy a reliable number one, Wolves have one of the Championship’s best back-ups in Will Norris.

Norris, a summer signing from Cambridge United, became the first goalkeeper to keep Manchester City off the scoresheet since David de Gea in April during last month’s EFL Cup draw at The Etihad (though Pep Guardiola’s side eventually prevailed on penalties).

Burgoyne spent a very short spell on an emergency loan at League Two Barnet last season, joining on for a week in February and making his debut later that day. Another move down the divisions, however, is the ‘keeper’s best chance of first-team football.