Wolves fans are currently a little nervous thinking about the 2025/26, especially with Matheus Cunha having now left the club.
The Brazilian completed a move to Manchester United on the very first day the transfer window opened, which didn’t really come as a surprise to anyone.
It had been mooted for weeks before it happened, and some were actually relieved once the transfer was announced.
The Cunha to United story had become a distraction over the last few months.
But Wolves must now prepare for life after Cunha, who was undoubtedly Wolves’ best player.
So with him gone, it’s interesting to consider who now becomes the top dog at Molineux.
Matheus Cunha during Wolverhampton Wanderers FC v Liverpool FC - Premier League
Photo by Catherine Ivill – AMA/Getty Images
The contenders to replace Cunha as Wolves’ new best player
Emmanuel Agbadou
Signed in January 2025 from Reims, Emmanuel Agbadou has been a revelation for Wolves.
Wanderers’ backline had been all over the place under Gary O’Neil, but the Ivorian’s arrival changed everything.
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Agbadou is an absolute warrior at the back for Wolves and his formidable nature really does put him right up there in terms of the best players at Molineux.
Joao Gomes
If he’s not the best player at Wolves, then he is very likely the most popular.
Joao Gomes has been utterly brilliant for Wolves in recent times, and has developed so well since arriving in January 2023.
The Brazilian is so tenacious and is one of the very best ball winners in the Premier League.
Jorgen Strand Larsen
Jorgen Strand Larsen only scored a couple of goals less than Cunha in 2024/25, and he has been a terrific signing.
Wolves will buy Strand Larsen for around £23 million this summer following his loan spell, and he stands to be a really important player for Wanderers.
He works his socks off, runs the channels, holds the ball up well and links play, and most importantly, scores goals.
He’s got all the right traits, and is easily the best striker Wolves have had since Raul Jimenez.
Andre is Wolves’ new best player
But, while not absolutely everyone will agree, there is a strong case to say that Andre is now Wolves’ best player.
The Brazilian arrived last summer at Molineux after Wolves paid around £21 million to sign him from Fluminense.
Eyebrows were raised when that happened because Andre was coveted by top clubs.
We didn’t actually see why that was the case until around halfway through the 2024/25 season, but his quality has been allowed to shine through by Vitor Pereira, who has used him at pretty much every turn so far.
Andre’s job in there as the holding midfielder is extremely difficult, but at times he makes it look very easy.
He is the player who has to offer himself to keep the ball ticking for Wolves, and he takes the ball under pressure so well, either turning away from players or popping the ball off first-time.
After his first season in the Premier League, he finished with 93% pass accuracy (via WhoScored), which is absolutely superb. He was also making 2.8 tackles per 90 in the Premier League – only Gomes had a higher average (3.2 per 90).
But not only is Andre a brilliant Ruben Neves-like passer of the ball, he’s also very tenacious. Perhaps not to the same extent as Gomes, but Andre certainly gets about the pitch very well and loves to put a foot in.
It is little wonder Dave Edwards thinks Andre is one of the best number sixes in the Premier League.
Surely if that’s true, he’s also now Wolves’ best player.
Agbadou, Gomes and Strand Larsen are all fantastic players. But given how well Andre consistently plays against the sheer complexity of the position he’s in, and also how fiercely so many Wolves fans laud him so often, he is Wolves’ new top dog.