Wolves’ summer plans as Fosun’s poor strategy could strike again

National World - LocalTV

Wolves’ difficulties under Fosun’s ownership can be traced to a flawed business strategy that has consistently hindered the team’s growth. Instead of assembling a stable and competitive squad, the club has operated as a stepping stone for lesser-known players—acquiring them cheaply, nurturing their talent, and then selling key stars without securing proper replacements. To gain further insight into the situation, we spoke with Charlie Haffenden of BirminghamWorld.

Transcript

00:00Now, Wolves' struggles under Fosun's ownership stem from a flawed business model that has

00:08repeatedly undermined the team's progress.

00:12Rather than building a staple competitive squad, the club has become a platform for

00:17unknown players, signing them at a low cost, developing their talent and then selling their

00:22stars without adequately replacing them.

00:26This cycle has left Wolves weaker season after season as key departures are met with

00:30underwhelming reinforcements, or none at all.

00:34While this strategy may benefit the owners financially, it has come at the expense of

00:39on-field success, frustrating fans who have watched the team slip further from its previous

00:45heights.

00:46Once seen as an ambitious club pushing for European football, Wolves now appear directionless,

00:52struggling to compete at the level they once did.

00:55I spoke to Charlie Haffenden of Birmingham World to get the latest on the situation.

01:00Charlie, let's look at Wolves and their situation now, obviously.

01:07Let's just start with the star man, Mateus Cunha, we've mentioned his release cause in

01:11his deal.

01:12So many clubs are looking at him this summer, I'm sure it's probably going to be towards

01:17the end of a farewell for Wolves, I mean, just how good has he been across the season

01:23for Wolves?

01:24And how important has he been to their struggles this season, because it has been such a tough

01:29watch at times for Wolves fans?

01:33It has been a tough watch.

01:34Obviously, I'm not a Wolves fan myself, but you are Charles, and I imagine Cunha has kind

01:38of got you out of the dark ends of this Premier League season.

01:41You would be right in that Premier League relegation zone, I think, if it wasn't for

01:45Cunha.

01:46He has scored in every single one of Wolves' victories in the Premier League this season.

01:49He scored in half of their draws as well.

01:51So it just shows how important he is, one, to the goal scoring threat, but also just

01:56the mentality and I think the morale of the team as well.

02:00We have seen a bit of a hot headed side of it at times, and he's had that sending off

02:03against Bournemouth earlier in the season, that moment with the Ipswich Town staff member

02:07as well.

02:08Not the best, especially when he's wearing the captain's armband.

02:11But in terms of individual quality, I don't think you'd want anyone else in this Wolves

02:15team at the moment.

02:16It's been incredible for them.

02:17Of course, if he does go in the summer, a massive loss, the £62m would be a record

02:23sale for Wolves and that means that they could probably go and rebuild with two or three

02:27attackers for that kind of money.

02:28So it's not all lost.

02:29Of course, it would be a huge blow if he did depart, but he's got to go, hasn't he, really?

02:33He's a Champions League standard player and Wolves, with all due respects, are not going

02:37to be in any European football, let alone the Champions League, any time soon.

02:43How long do you feel Fosun can keep this business model up?

02:46We've seen it multiple times now, where they've sort of invested in young talent or unknown

02:51talent and potential and they've gone right to the top.

02:55You look at Ruben Neves, Pedro Neto, you sell them for a big profit and you don't really

03:00reinvest and then I think Wolves fans are probably feeling, OK, Neto sold last summer,

03:06a great season he had.

03:09He's gone on to better things, Neves the summer before and now it's Kunya, their best player,

03:14their next best player.

03:16How long can Wolves actually keep this up?

03:18Because it's not a real sustainable business model to keep you in the top flight and they

03:22are almost finding that out by being so close to relegation and a few seasons in a row now.

03:28Yeah, I think at the end of the day, there's only so much patience that Wolves fans can

03:32have dealing with that kind of treatment.

03:34You pay your money week in, week out to go home and away.

03:37You expect to see the best effort from your team as well.

03:39But when you've got those individuals, if they're sold, we want it to be reinvested because,

03:43well, you're investing your time, your money into the club.

03:45The owner should do the same.

03:46And in my opinion, I think if you're selling important players, you've got to bring in

03:50replacements.

03:51Otherwise, you're going to fall down the league standings.

03:53You could fall down a division.

03:55I mean, financially, that is incredibly costly, more so than bringing in the new players.

04:00If you go up the table, you're heading towards Europe.

04:02I mean, think of the income you can get from playing in UEFA competitions.

04:05Building towards that is incredibly important.

04:07I just don't understand the approach personally.

04:10I understand that PSR is a thing and that they have to make sure they don't lose 105

04:14million or more over a three-year period.

04:17Wolves have been walking that tightrope a few times over recent years, but still got to

04:21reinvest. You've got to find a way, even if it's kind of installments further down the

04:24line or loan deals or options to buy.

04:27I don't know who you can really replace Ait Nouri with immediately in that Wolves squad.

04:32Maybe Rodrigo Gomez could fill in there.

04:34But when you're playing a back three or wing backs, it's quite difficult to have a player

04:37who can do the defensive side as well as the attacking.

04:40Has Rodrigo got that?

04:41I'm not too sure.

04:42So Ait Nouri would be a big blow.

04:45I'm not too sure.

04:46So Ait Nouri would be a big blow.

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