Jorgen Strand Larsen enjoyed a very good first season at Wolves, as the club prepare to turn his move to the club permanent.
Strand Larsen was one of Wolves’ first additions in the summer 2024 season, arriving from Celta Vigo on a loan basis. He could soon be joined by another player from Celta in Fer Lopez, who did his medical at Wolves on Wednesday.
Wolves agreed an obligation to buy in the deal, and Strand Larsen passed the threshold of appearances he needed to make for it to be triggered around halfway through the campaign.
Jorgen Strand Larsen finished the season with 14 goals to his name, which was the most ever by a Premier League debutant for Wolves.
Undoubtedly, Strand Larsen was better in the second half of the season under Vitor Pereira, who the striker credits with letting him show one key strength of his.
Jorgen Strand Larsen happy Vitor Pereira lets him come deep more than Gary O’Neil
Jorgen Strand Larsen in a Wolves tracksuit.
Photo by Andrew Kearns – CameraSport via Getty Images
Strand Larsen did actually play quite well under Gary O’Neil.
It’s just that his goal contributions were not really counting for anything, with the defence all at sea.
It was not until the win over Southampton back in March that Wolves actually won a game in which the Norwegian had scored.
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Recently, Strand Larsen reflected on his first season at Molineux – and has praised Pereira for letting him come deep more often, something he did not do much under O’Neil.
He said: “I feel like my role is kind of the same. Obviously, we’re playing with a little bit of a different style now, where I can drop down a bit more and receive the ball more than I probably could before, which fits me well, because that’s one of my strengths.
“But at the end of the day, I want to be at the end of the cross of the ball, I want to be in the box, so that’s the most important thing for me and I think we’ve worked really hard to do that.
“Since December when Vitor and his staff have come in, I’ve scored eight goals, and seven goals in seven or eight games, so it’s been a good end of the season. But I think what we worked on this season has been really good, and it’s been progressing in a really good way for next season.”
Gary O'Neil looks on while managing Wolves.
Photo by Jack Thomas – WWFC/Wolves via Getty Images
Strand Larsen proved brilliant business by Wolves
Strand Larsen did well under O’Neil, but arguably he was starved of service at times.
Under Pereira, he probably has become more involved in Wolves’ general play – and he really came to life when Matheus Cunha was suspended, which bodes well for the coming season.
He has proven to be a terrific signing for the club so far, and is easily worth the £23 million that Wolves will pay to turn his move permanent.
Vitor Pereira during Manchester United FC v Wolverhampton Wanderers FC - Premier League
Photo by Wolverhampton Wanderers FC/Wolves via Getty Images
He must now look to try and better his tally of 14 goals.
In order to do that, Pereira must surround him with the right players.
Fer Lopez and Evann Guessand could really help Strand Larsen thrive, but for the moment only the former is signing.