In recent years, Wolves have presented opportunities to various academy players; Morgan Gibbs-White was at the club since he was eight and made his professional debut at 16-years-old against Stoke City before his move to Nottingham Forest in August 2022.
Despite never featuring for Wolves in the Premier League, defender Dion Sanderson also developed through the Wolves academy, he was born in Wednesfield, Wolverhampton.
Sanderson joined the club aged eight and was promoted to the senior team during a pre-season tour in China during the summer of 2019, where Wolves lifted the Premier League Asia Trophy, he then moved to Birmingham City on a permanent basis.
The Premier League returns next month, and these are three players to keep a close eye on who could give Gary O’Neil something to think about.
Dani Angel
Following his first season in the Black Country, Dani Angel was awarded the ‘academy player of the season’ after the striker hit double figures in the U18 Premier League last season, previously at Eagles United and Clapton FC, this was the first taste of a professional environment for the player and he has excelled.
Due to his commitment, Angel also received a call up to the Spanish U18 side where he made his debut against Switzerland.
Angel’s play style is to get in behind defenders to create the opportunity on goal, which is very similar to Wolves' South Korean forward Hwang Hee-Chan.
The Spanish forward is comfortable playing through the middle as a number nine, rather than drifting out wide; he is very direct, fast and clinical which could provide an option for Gary O’Neil potentially in FA/Carabao Cup games.
Mateus Mane
Mateus Mane has also just finished his first season in the West Midlands, following his move from non-league side Rochdale in March. The 16-year-old has settled into Richard Walker’s U18 side where he scored one goal and claimed one assist on his debut.
Mane’s commitment was rewarded when he was named on the bench of the Rochdale first team and since his move to Wolves, Mane was also called up to represent his country with the Portugal U17 squad.
During the build up to this season, Mane featured for the U21’s side and scored his second goal for the U18 against Crewe Alexandra.
The Portuguese attacker provides plenty of pace, he is a player who is very comfortable on the ball and loves to drive the team forward, a very similar play style to fellow Portuguese Chiquinho.
Mane could sporadically break into the first team very soon with the positive progress he has made so far.
Wesley Okoduwa
Okoduwa gained vast amounts of attention last season when the 15-year-old right back was called out of his science class to be on Wolves’ first team bench against Arsenal at Molineux Stadium.
If he had featured in the game, it would have made him the youngest player ever to play in the Premier League, resulting in surpassing Arsenal’s Ethan Nwaneri's record.
Last season he represented Wolves U21 and U18 team and was rotated between the two before his chance in the first team; Okoduwa also represented England at U16 level and is deemed to be one of the best in his age group.
Following his first team appearances, the right back gained interest from some of England’s biggest clubs such as Manchester United and Chelsea who tried to persuade the player of a move, which he denied.
Football runs in the Okoduwa family with his father, Emmanuel Osei, previously playing for clubs such as: Dynamo Kyiv, First Bank FC and Kuban Krasnodar.
The youngster is proving to be reliable and committed towards gaining more experience around Wolves' first team next season, and has been involved in Gary O’Neil’s training camp in Marbella.
