Wolverhampton Wanderers seem to be on the brink of something exciting under Gary O’Neil. They’ve enjoyed a quietly brilliant campaign, with the team currently sitting in the top half of the table as they look to return to their previous Premier League heights of regular European contention.

The London-born tactician is only in the embryonic stages of his Wolves tenure, having been appointed in the summer of 2023 into a financially strained environment accompanied by a disgruntled hierarchy.

For O’Neil, bringing new stars through the door will be imperative to how Wolves fare in the coming seasons, as will be dealing with several contract dilemmas.

In order to prevent upheaval in the coming years, like that seen at the latter end of Julien Lopetegui’s stewardship, the club will have to ensure that the first-teamers who are ageing or those whose contracts are expiring within the next 18 months are dealt with appropriately.

As a result, GIVEMESPORT have used Transfermarkt to highlight five players from the Wolves squad whose contracts need sorting this summer to aid their pursuit of consecutive top-half finishes.

Mario Lemina, along with players like Pedro Neto and Jose Sa, has swiftly become one of the Old Gold’s most significant players. The midfielder was acquired by Wolves for a mere £7.3 million in January 2023, and they have since enjoyed success despite the complicated terms of his contract.

The Gabon international agreed to a two-year contract with a one-year option, although larger teams may be interested in him based on his achievements. If Wolves can commit Lemina to a protracted stay at Molineux, the seasoned enforcer might become a vital member of the team for many years to come.

It might be difficult to keep onto Rayan Ait-Nouri’s services this summer. Teams are showing interest in the young full-back, but Wolves are ready to sell if a buyer is willing to pay £45 million. His contract expires in 2026, so the club must make a decision.

While keeping and developing the 22-year-old is an appealing option due to his age, selling him would allow for squad-wide reinforcement. Ait-Nouri, who is reportedly only paid £10k per week, has earned a massive pay increase due to his on-field performance this season, and signing a new contract now will only increase his cost. That can’t be a terrible thing, although O’Neil’s summer transfer window would undoubtedly be aided by a defender who fetches £45 million.