Gary O’Neil hints at Wolves transfer firesale as he warns of ‘challenging’ situation at Molineux

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GARY O’NEIL says some managers would not want to work in the “tough and difficult” financial circumstances at Wolves.

But the 40-year-old is relishing the challenge as he warned fans: Don’t expect a summer of spending.

Gary O’Neil believes he needs to be 'clever and cute' in transfer dealings — Gary O’Neil believes he needs to be ‘clever and cute’ in transfer dealingsCredit: Getty

The former Bournemouth boss arrived at Molineux just two days before the start of this season with the club letting Daniel Podence, Matheus Nunes, Ryan Giles and Raul Jimenez leave last summer to balance the books.

And O’Neil, who is expecting another belt-tightening post-season, said: “We won’t be blessed with resources as in money to spend.

“We have a lot of players out on loan, so hopefully some of them can come back and help us or we will be able to sell some and that will help us [spend].

“The owners have put in an awful lot of money in recent years and they’re not in a position at the moment to put loads [more] in.

“So they’ll be able to help with little bits but we won’t be going out and signing £40million number nines.

“We have to be really clever and cute in what we’re able to recruit. That’s part of the challenge.

“Certain managers won’t want to work under those sorts of circumstances and will think it’s tough and difficult.

“But it’s something I’m really looking forward to and relish.
“I am sure there will be tough moments when I face criticism, but we dig in and try and have another successful season next year.”

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O’Neil replaced West Ham manager-in waiting Julen Lopetegui who fell out with Wolves’ hierarchy over “differences in opinion” on last summer’s spending.

And the talented English coach has defied the odds by dragging Wolves to within two points of the top half ahead of Sunday’s final Prem game at Liverpool.

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Having previously acknowledged he was not considered a glamour appointment, the former Portsmouth, Middlesbrough and West Ham midfielder is proud of the job he has done.

O’Neil, who was speaking at the opening of Ballerz football centre in Kent, added: “It’s important not to get carried away.

“I’m definitely not as good as some people were saying when we were winning and won’t be as bad as some people were saying when we were losing.

“I am still only 20 months in to being a permanent manager.

“All of my learning has been done at the highest level in a real cut throat, ruthless league, so I need to improve a lot, always.

“But I’m pleased with the job I’ve done, because I went into a dressing room full of big international players with big egos who have played for big clubs and they were unsure of what was going on and I had to unite them and get them pushing in the same direction.

“And that’s not easy.

“Obviously we had to strip the squad back quite a bit, reduce the wage bill heavily, made a big profit of £100m on player sales.

“I am a bit disappointed it’s tailed off. But that motivates me to make sure we push harder next season.”