Fresh twist emerges in Fer Lopez exit saga at Wolves | OneFootball

Wolves have received a big boost in their hopes of retaining Spanish attacking-midfiedlder Fer Lopez this summer

Wolverhampton Wanderers head into the Championship for the first time in over eight years with the intention of ensuring their time in the second tier is as short-lived as possible, with the Old Gold recently receiving a huge boost in their hopes of retaining one of their star assets.

Wolves finished rock-bottom of the Premier League last season, ending their eight-year stay in the Premier League, but following relegation, the Black Country outfit hopes to change their fortunes around Molineux.

Rob Edwards has been dismissed from his role as head coach at the club and replaced by relatively unknown Portuguese boss Cesar Peixoto, in a move which Wolves supporters will hope echoes Nuno Espirito Santo's arrival at the club some nine years ago.

Wolves have already done some key business in the transfer window, and will almost certainly ramp things up in the coming weeks and months, but one of their best bits of business this summer could well be retaining the services of one of their stars, in which they have just received a major boost.

Wolves receive a big boost in their hopes of retaining Fer Lopez this summer despite relegation

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Following their return to the second tier alongside West Ham United and Burnley, Wolves will be aiming for an immediate return to the Premier League.

Kieran Trippier, 35, following his release from Newcastle United, has signed a two-year deal with the Old Gold in a bid to help them secure an immediate return to the top flight, whilst Mexican striker Raul Jimenez, 35, returns to Molineux also on a two-year deal after three years away following his release from Fulham.

Between them, Trippier and Jimenez have a combined age of 70, as well as a combined 458 Premier League appearances, and join the club to add a huge degree of experience and quality to their ranks.

Peixoto will be busy preparing for what the rest of his window looks like in terms of both incomings and outgoings, and has just received a boost in his hopes of keeping Spanish attacking midfielder Fer Lopez at the club beyond the summer window.

According to Spanish publication Marca, Celta Vigo cannot afford the permanent addition of Lopez this summer, with another loan being the most likely route.

Lopez, 22, joined Wolves last summer from Vigo for around £19 million, but only managed 12 appearances in all competitions for the club before he was shipped back to the North-West Spanish outfit in January.

Capable of playing anywhere across the front line, but best either out on the right flank or through the middle, Lopez has an abundance of talent, but was unable to show what he is capable of in a struggling Wolves side last season.

As they head into the Championship, Peixoto will be assessing each and every player contracted to the club, including Lopez, with whom it would be no surprise to anyone to find out his intentions for keeping him at the club.

Whether Wolves would be willing to sanction such a deal remains to be seen, as Lopez could be like a completely new signing for Wolves this summer, having barely seen him in action last time around.

Under contract at Molineux until the summer of 2030, there is no reason for Wolves to part ways on the cheap this summer, nor sanction an unfavourable loan deal, as his best route could well be to stick around in the second tier next campaign.

Fer Lopez could take the Championship by storm for Wolverhampton Wanderers next season, and Cesar Peixoto must provide him with that opportunity

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During his time with Gil Vicente, with whom he has just guided to a sixth-placed finish in the Portuguese top-flight, Peixoto preferred to deploy a 4-2-3-1 system, and there is every reason to believe he will continue to do so with Wolves next season.

Lopez is capable of playing anywhere behind the striker, but on either the right flank or through the middle, he could be a cheat code at Championship level.

It will take him some time to adapt to the trials and tribulations of the second tier, but Lopez could be the difference-maker for Wolves next year, and could be the catalyst to fire them back to the Premier League.

Vigo's unwillingness to meet Wolves' valuation gives the club a huge boost in keeping him around next season, and Peixoto should look to retain his services by any means necessary following this news.