Mateus Mane has been one of the unlikeliest sparks in the Premier League this season. Even with Wolverhampton Wanderers heading down to the Championship, he has been one to watch throughout.
Even the teenager himself wouldn't have expected to play an important role in the Midlands just two seasons after completing a move from Rochdale.
mateus-mane-wolves
The arrival of Rob Edwards has brought with it several positives, however, and the young winger has arguably benefited most from the arrival of the former Middlesbrough boss.
How Mateus Mane became a key man at Wolves
For some time, it looked as though Wolves were destined to break Derby County's record for the lowest points in a single Premier League campaign. They even made a worse start than the Rams - losing 16 of their first 18 games and failing to win once in that time.
Since then, though, Edwards has arrived and handed Molineux some moments to savour even as they crash down from the top flight. And a large part of those moments has been the impact of Mane.
The 18-year-old made his first start in a narrow 2-1 defeat against Liverpool in late December and has started every Premier League game since. To no surprise, Wolves have enjoyed a better record with the attacker than they did without him.
Wolves 25/26 When Mane has started When Mane hasn't started
Games 14 17
Wins 3 0
Draws 6 2
Defeats 5 15
Goals scored 15 9
Goals conceded 17 37
The numbers tell quite the story. By finally adding an outlet who can carry possession and pose a threat, Wolves have enjoyed a far better record. It begs the question about just where they'd be if they turned to Mane and Edwards far sooner.
mateus-mane-wolves
But he's not the only player to improve since the manager's arrival. Alongside him, it looks as though Edwards has unearthed Wolves' next Matheus Cunha and Pedro Neto.
Wolves' next Cunha and Neto
Replacing star players is no easy task and Wolves have learned that the hard way over the last 12 months. They've been forced into a trial-and-error approach at times, whilst more players head for the exit door, but that process has birthed the form of Rodrigo Gomes.
The winger arrived in 2024 and is finally beginning to prove exactly why those in the Midlands welcomed him with open arms.
Vitinha-Wolves-1 Related
£43m Wolves star could become Molineux's next version of Vitinha
Rob Edwards could have Wolverhampton Wanderers' next Vitinha.
After failing to score three times in his first 31 Premier League games for the club, the 22-year-old has scored twice in his last three games. Suddenly, a potential transfer flop is looking like one to watch in the next 12 months.
It's not just in front of goal that he's improved, though. Gomes is also beginning to enjoy a similar involvement to both Neto and Cunha during their time in the Midlands. He's a flashy player, similar in stature with a bulldog-like approach and it's paying dividends as far as Wolves are concerned..
PL Stats per 90 mins Gomes 25/26 Cunha 24/25 Neto 23/24
Minutes 602 2,600 1,518
Goals 0.45 0.52 0.12
Touches in opposition box 5.68 4.81 5.22
Possession wins final third 0.75 0.76 0.71
Chances created 0.45 1.97 2.25
Though it's clear that Gomes must improve his output, the numbers suggest that he's seen as the replacement for Neto and Cunha at Molineux.
The winger is very much operating in the same way, albeit without their output. He's the danger man in the area like they were, even taking more touches in the opposition box per game.
Meanwhile, out of possession, he also tends to play a large part in any attempted press - something Neto and Cunha were especially good at.
rodrigo-gomes-wolves
The goals and assists haven't exactly arrived in abundance yet, but the rest is there. That's the key positive that Edwards should focus on. If Gomes is at least getting into the position to score or create, then the numbers should inevitably follow.
He's still a player with plenty of potential and could even become a key man when Wolves attempt to bounce straight back from the Championship.
Wolves most expensive signings Related
Wolves' most expensive signings of all time
Football FanCast takes a detailed look at Wolves' 10 most expensive signings of all time.