Wolverhampton Wanderers

Raul Jimenez on Thursday signed a four-year contract to join Wolverhampton Wanderers permanently from Benfica.

The club announced the 27-year-old's capture via its official website and Twitter account:

According to Sky Sports, Wolves have paid a fee thought to be around £30 million, far surpassing the club-record £18 million spent on Adama Traore last year.

The Mexico international had been on loan from Benfica for the season, and he has returned 15 goals and eight assists in 37 appearances across all competitions for Nuno Espirito Santo's side.

His efforts have helped Wolves to seventh place in the Premier League and to the semi-final of the FA Cup, in which they will take on Watford on Sunday.

Jimenez has not only been prolific in front of goal, but he has also been excellent at linking play in the final third, forming a potent partnership with fellow attacker Diogo Jota.

Manchester United found that out to their detriment on Wednesday, when they lost 2-1 at Molineux for the second time in a matter of weeks, with Jimenez providing a lovely assist for his team-mate:

It was not the first time he's made an impact against a top side this season, either.

He scored against United in the FA Cup quarter-finals in March, and he has also found the net against Liverpool in the third round. Further goals came in home and away fixtures against Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea in the Premier League.

With Wolves hoping to close the gap to the top six next season, Jimenez's contributions in the final third will give them a strong platform to build on if he can be similarly productive.

Wolverhampton Wanderers manager Nuno Espirito Santo has dismissed speculation linking Ruben Neves with an exit from the club.

Neves has been linked with a number of huge teams in recent weeks, with Sam Lee of Goal reporting that Manchester City and Manchester United have been impressed by the Portuguese international.

In addition, during the international break, Calciomercato said that Paris Saint-Germain were also monitoring the development of Neves.

But Santo said on Friday he is paying no attention to the speculation and that Neves will be staying at Molineux for the time being, per Jamie Brassington of the Express & Star.

"We are not surprised (Neves has been linked) because there is always speculation when our players play good," said the Wolves boss. "We ignore the situations, it doesn't affect us, the players know the reality, there is no transfers now so there is no point of talking."

Wolves, having won the Championship last season, have enjoyed an impressive start to life in the Premier League, picking up five points from their opening four games. They earned a creditable 1-1 draw with Manchester City in their last home match, while they beat West Ham United with a last-gasp Adama Traore goal in their previous outing.

Neves has been crucial to the strong performances so far and was a vital player for Wolves in their 2016-17 Championship-winning term.

In the second tier, he showcased an eye for the spectacular:

He appears at ease in the top flight too. James Benge of the Evening Standard praised the ability of the midfielder during the win over West Ham:

The talent Neves possesses has been beyond question ever since he broke into the Porto team as a teenager. He excelled in the Portuguese top division as well as the UEFA Champions League, prompting links to some of Europe's biggest clubs.

As such it was a surprise when he made the switch to Wolves. However, after a memorable season in the Championship, he is now playing against some of the world's best in a team many are tipping to perform well in 2018-19.

As Santo noted, the interest in Neves was always going to emerge. Not only is he an excellent footballer, at 21 he still has plenty of time to get even better.

Scouted Football hailed what he can already bring to a team:

While it's unclear whether Wolves will have ambitions beyond staying afloat in the Premier League this season, regardless of the position they find themselves in January the club will surely bat away any bids they receive for their star performer.

But if Neves continues to excel in one of European football's most demanding divisions, the links to clubs in contention for big prizes domestically and in the Champions League will only continue to go. As such, next summer may see Wolves facing a challenge to keep their brilliant midfield tyro. 

Wolverhampton Wanderers and Nigeria international goalkeeper Carl Ikeme has announced he is in "complete remission" from Leukaemia.

The 32-year-old stopper shared the update on his condition on Twitter:

Premier League side Wolves responded with best wishes for the player, who has been on the books since 2003:

Wolves' Black Country rivals West Bromwich Albion also tweeted good wishes to the recovering player:

Ikeme, who has spent his whole career with Wolves, was diagnosed in July of 2017. The illness was caught during a routine check at Wolves.

The disease meant Super Eagles international Ikeme missed the chance to represent Nigeria at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia this summer. Before the tournament, coach Gernot Rohr said, per BBC Sport: "My biggest regret is the absence of Carl."

As a show of solidarity and encouragement, the Super Eagles and Rohr gave an honorary 24th squad place to Ikeme, per Ian Tuckey of The Sun. Nigeria beat Iceland 2-0 in Volgograd on Friday, but Ikeme's former team-mate and Iceland international Jon Dadi Bodvarsson led a show of support before the game:

Ikeme, who has had nine loan spells during his Wolves career, said on Instagram that he now intends to take things "a day at a time."

Newly promoted Wolverhampton Wanderers have emerged as surprise candidates to land Arsenal's Jack Wilshere this summer, with the England international reportedly increasingly unlikely to remain at the Emirates beyond the end of the current campaign, per John Cross for the Mirror. 

Wilshere has reportedly been offered a new contract by Arsenal of £90,000 per week, which is lower than his current £110,000-per-week deal and would be heavily incentivised, using a bonus structure based on appearances and achievements.  

The 26-year-old has reportedly been holding out for a better offer from the club, but Arsenal are unwilling to budge. It looks "increasingly likely" Wilshere will leave for free at the end of the 2017-18 season, per Sami Mokbel for the Daily Mail.

And Wilshere is reportedly "resigned to leaving" having told friends he doesn't expect Arsenal to improve their offer, per David Woods for the Daily Star. His poor injury record appears to be a stumbling block between the club and the player, and Wilshere has only started 11 league games this season. Although he would prefer to stay at his hometown club, it is unknown whether Wilshere would prefer to remain in the Premier League or move abroad.

Wolves are just the latest club to be linked with Wilshere, who reportedly already has a "huge offer" from Everton, with Liverpool, Manchester City, Juventus and AC Milan also keeping tabs. This would suggest Wolves are outsiders, although the club have considerable resources at their disposal. 

The club's complex relationship with super agent Jorge Mendes, which is set to come under scrutiny from the Premier League, per David Conn for the Guardian, helped Wolves to the marquee signing of Ruben Neves last summer. 

Wilshere would be a major signal of intent from the Midlands club, although for now it would appear that bigger clubs, both in England and abroad, are willing to offer the England international the wages he wants.

Wolverhampton Wanderers will play Premier League football next season thanks to Neal Maupay scoring a 94th-minute equaliser for Brentford against Fulham at Craven Cottage in the Championship on Saturday.

Fulham's draw means Wolves can't finish any lower than second, so the Black Country club has already earned automatic promotion. Wolves confirmed the news on Twitter:

It marks a return to England's top flight for the first time since 2009 to 2012.

BT Sport and BBC Match of the Day presenter Gary Lineker praised the achievement and got Wolves thinking about the greater coverage they can expect:

Premier League leaders Manchester City, likely champions this season, offered their congratulations:

City's kind words also hint at the daunting challenge facing Wolves, who will have to meet a higher standard during 2018/19.

Before then, Wolves have four games left to play in order to seal the Championship title, beginning with hosting Birmingham City at Molineux Stadium on Sunday, as they lead Cardiff City by nine points.

Yet promotion represents the bigger prize, as well as a worthy reward for a fantastic season on the watch of manager Nuno Espirito Santo.

The Portuguese boss has crafted a functional side capable of producing attractive football. Wolves have scored the most goals and conceded the fewest in the Championship, a true measure of their dominance.

Sky Sports Statto showed the strides Wolves have made under Santo:

Midfielder Ruben Neves and striker Diogo Jota have been key figures, as Santo has shopped wisely to recruit talented players from his homeland.

Neves had recently explained how testing himself at a level higher was always his goal when he joined Wolves 2017, per Jan Hagen of Sport Witness and Metro:

Now Santo must switch his focus to surviving what will be a tough season a level up. History will show Santo the extent of the task facing him and his players.

The last time they earned promotion, Wolves stayed up for three seasons before going down miserably by finishing the 2011/12 campaign bottom. Top-flight status was a shorter-lived thing in 2003-04, with Wolves lasting just one season before suffering relegation after winning just seven matches.

For now, though, Santo and his players can simply enjoy a hard-earned and impressive achievement.

Championship club Wolverhampton Wanderers completed the signing of central midfielder Ruben Neves from Porto on Saturday, with the 20-year-old penning a five-year deal at Molineux Stadium.

The club's official Twitter account confirmed the move for the Portuguese Neves, who emerged from the youth ranks at Porto:

"I'm very excited to play at this club," Neves said, per the club's official website. "It is a very big club and I hope to help the team to win their goals. I have always wanted to play in England and we have a good team. I think we can do good things this season."

Per BBC Sport, the close relationship between Wolves owners Fosun and Portuguese agent Jorge Mendes is believed to have played a role in the club landing such a marquee player.

Wolves manager Nuno Espirito Santo was also in charge at Porto for the 2016-17 season.

The New York Times' Rory Smith expressed his views on the transfer ahead of its completion:

When Neves was emerging as a teenager with huge potential early in the 2015-16 season, he was linked with Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona, as well as Premier League champions Chelsea, per Portuguese outlet Record (via Sport).

He broke a number of records early in his senior career at Porto, including becoming Porto's youngest goalscorer and the youngest-ever player to captain a side in the UEFA Champions League—against Maccabi Tel Aviv in 2015.

A Portugal international, Neves' progress has stalled somewhat recently, and Portuguese football writer Jan Hagen believes the switch to Wolves could benefit him.

He is, however, too good a player to be satisfied with Championship football for much more than a single season.

Neves' addition to the Wolves squad boosts their chances of promotion to the Premier League in 2017-18 considerably.

But given they finished 15th in the Championship in 2016-17—just seven points clear of relegation—they will need to show huge improvement fast.  

All Wolverhampton fan Richard Jon Gough wanted was a cut-price Wolves shirt. After an odd mixup and a unique apology, he'll be getting a lot more than that.

It started when his £12 kit arrived with the badge sewn on upside-down.

The next day, Wolves responded to his concern with a delightfully tongue-in-cheek apology.

Not only was the letter printed upside down, it also poked fun at Wolves' dreadful last season that saw them relegated from the Championship.

Perhaps more importantly for Mr. Gough, they offered to more than make it up to him. Instead of just receiving a new shirt, he's getting a ticket to Wolverhampton's next home match and a visit to the dressing room to meet the players. Bit of a steal for £12! 

Here's the full transcription, courtesy of Dirty Tackle:

Dear Richard

I'm very sorry to hear you've received a shirt with an upside down badge on it.

Although we've been riding on the crest of a wave recently, in terms of results, we pride ourselves on the quality of our shirts and we certainly don't get a badge of honour on this occasion.

That said, the world can sometimes look better upside down — last year's league table being just one example.

Please accept our apologies, along with a ticket (printed the right way up) to our home game versus Shrewsbury on the 15th March. We'll also take you into the Dressing Room to meet the players before the match, where you can get both shirts signed.

Thanks, as always, for your support.

Best regards

Matt Grayson

Wolves

Hibernian striker Leigh Griffiths has played his last game for the club after head-butting manager Pat Fenlon. If that wasn’t enough to seal his future away from the club, he went on to punch assistant manager Billy Brown in a training ground bust up.

The man on loan from Wolves grew up a Hibernian fan, but it has all turned sour and he will now return to The Molineux for the rest of the season.

This bizarre incident isn’t the first trouble this Scottish Under-21 star has been in this year. In a match against Rangers, he was seen using a hand gesture shown towards a Rangers fan which earned him a one-match ban.  

The incident came about after a heated training session, which saw players having to be pulled apart to stop the conflicts in the squad.

After Fenlon addressed the squad, all eyes were on Griffiths who snapped and head-butted his manager knocking off his glasses. This was followed by Griffiths being followed by assistant manager Billy Brown who received a right hook for his attempts to catch up with the player.

We don’t know what was said in the heated argument, but it must have been something ruthless to make even the angriest of players do that to their manager.

This troubled youngster is set to have a big future if he can keep his anger issues down to a minimum. He is known for his ability to find the back of the net, but if he can’t keep his head, he will go nowhere in the game.

It is now down to Wolves manager Terry Connor to try and help the youngster focus all of his attention on becoming a better player and not fighting with his teammates and manager.

Wolves winger Matt Jarvis is remarkably upbeat for a man whose team sits at the bottom of the Premier League, are without a win in 14 games and fresh off a 5-0 home defeat to Manchester United.

He's been in this spot before, of course—this will be the third straight relegation dogfight for Jarvis and Wolves since they came up from the Championship in 2009—and the 25-year-old is battle-hardened for the weeks ahead.

"The biggest part is to stay strong and positive as a squad," Jarvis says. "We’ve done that the last two years.

"We've got nine games to go and we can still get ourselves out of it. It's that old cliche of treating every game as a cup final from now until the end of the season."

Jarvis tells me the morning's training session focused on "leg work maintenance" and watching back videos of their humbling at the hands of United.

Wolves weren't helped by the sending off of Ronald Zubar in the first half on Sunday—which left Terry Connor's team painfully exposed and at the mercy of a ruthless United in the mood for a killing.

"As a team it’s pretty demoralizing being beaten 5-0," Jarvis says. "We worked pretty hard to keep going and stay as solid as we could, but United are a fantastic side and very clinical.

"On a personal note, I was pleased with the part of the game I could influence, but it's not really about that."

Jarvis says Connor has brought fresh ideas to training and tactics since taking over from Mick McCarthy in February. He also leans more heavily on video analysis than the man he served as an assistant.

But thus far his approach is yet to bear fruit. Connor's four games in charge have yielded just a solitary point and his team has failed to score in its last three.

It's not looking good, but if Wolves do go down, will Jarvis go with them?

"All I can say is I'll be doing my best for Wolves to make sure that doesn't happen," Jarvis says.

Jarvis will likely be in demand either way. He was named the supporters' player of the year at Wolves last season and his reputation has been steadily building with every impressive turn on their left flank.

"My role is to attack and get crosses in and to score goals," he says. "That’s the part that gets the fans excited. I enjoy the buzz of taking on my fullback and putting in a cross.

"Every week you come up against world-class, international players. But at this level you've got to back yourself to beat anybody."

Arguably the high point of Jarvis's career so far was a call-up to Fabio Capello's England squad last March—an achievement he attributed at the time to his desire to prove Millwall wrong for releasing him as a 16-year-old.

He made his debut as a substitute against Ghana and, despite not featuring since, still harbors ambitions of making the squad for Euro 2012.

"I’ve got to make sure I keep playing consistently," he says. "If I can keep my form and score a few more goals, then we’ll see.

"I enjoyed being part of the England squad and everybody treated me very well there."

When it comes to life in the Premier League this season, Jarvis says it's hard to say which is the best team he's come up against.

"United were clinical on Sunday, but Stamford Bridge and The Emirates are fantastic places to go as well," he says.

"We always seem do best against the big sides when they're not expecting it."

Next up for Wolves is a trip to face Norwich at Carrow Road on Saturday, followed by the visit of fellow strugglers Bolton a week later in what will be a crucial game for both teams.

By that time, the football world will be hoping for more good news on the condition of Bolton's Fabrice Muamba, whose cardiac arrest during their FA Cup tie with Tottenham at White Hart Lane this past Saturday has prompted an outpouring of support from everybody in the game.

"It just puts everything in perspective," Jarvis says. "When something like that happens you have to sit and take notice and just hope that he’s alright.

"It puts everything else into the background. Nothing matters."

And with that I let Jarvis return to a well-deserved afternoon off—time he typically chooses to spend with family and friends, or perhaps indulging his new passion for golf.

Nine games remain for Wolves to save their season and their most consistently impressive player will be key to their chances. Having spent time talking to him, you can't help but hope they do it.

Follow @willtidey

Matt Jarvis wears MetaSox performance socks, which feature advanced silicone technology designed to aid protection from injury, improve power and enhance comfort to the player. Available exclusively at www.prodirectsoccer.com