Wolverhampton Wanderers currently sit just two points off Bournemouth in the race for a top-half finish in the Premier League this season.
It has been a solid debut campaign under Gary O’Neil, but they face both Manchester City and Liverpool in two of their remaining three games of the season, proving that it will be a difficult finish.
They could complete a league double over City should they emerge victorious, but whatever happens, O’Neil has a solid foundation to work with ahead of 2024/25. Add in a couple of excellent signings and there is no doubt he will be aiming for a European place.
The core of his starting XI has seen Wolves improve on their poor 2022/23 season. Hwang Hee-Chan and Matheus Cunha have done much of the heavy lifting from an attacking point of view, while Joao Gomes and Mario Lemina have added some solidity to the midfield.
Moving to a back three has worked wonders, as outside the top six, the Old Gold currently have the joint second-best defensive record.
Craig Dawson, Max Kilman and Toti Gomes have been the three regulars at the heart of the defence, with the Portuguese defender showing the biggest improvement.
Toti Gomes’ statistics this season
In the two proceeding seasons to 2023/24, Toti made just four and 17 Premier League appearances respectively, yet he has emerged as a key player under O’Neil this term.
He has featured in 32 of the 35 league matches the Molineux side have played so far during 2023/24, last missing a top-flight game way back in September as Wolves were defeated 3-1.
Coincidentally, the Old Gold lost all three games where Toti didn’t feature, perhaps signifying his importance to the squad as the season went on.
Among his teammates, Toti currently ranks third for accurate passes per game (40.7), along with ranking in the top six for accurate long balls (1.3), tackles (1.3) and interceptions (0.8) per game in the top flight.
Along with these stats, the defender has also won a staggering 61% of his total duels contested – which works out as 3.9 per game – while recovering four balls per game.
Accurate passes per game
40.7
Accurate long balls per game
1.3
Total duels won per game
3.9
Possession lost per game
10.4
Goal contributions
4
The centre-back is even ranked highly on a few attacking metrics when compared to his positional peers in Europe’s top five leagues. Over the previous 365 days, Toti ranks in the top 3% for successful take-ons per 90 (0.68) and the top 6% for assists per 90 (0.10), proving that not only is he a player who has shown excellent defensive attributes this term, but he also has a forward-thinking mentality.
Toti Gomes’ market value at Wolves
While last season saw Toti make the step up to performing at the highest level on a regular basis, the current campaign has seen the defender deliver fantastic displays to back up his inclusion in the starting XI.
As such, his value has increased. According to Transfermarkt, the former Grasshoppers gem is currently valued at €17m (£14.5m) and this will only continue to rise should he keep shining for Wolves.
While this is impressive, it is one of his defensive partners who has seen the biggest increase in value in recent years, especially considering how much the club paid to sign him back in the summer of 2018.
Max Kilman’s statistics this season
The centre-back has captained the club in all but one of their Premier League matches so far this season, as he has formed a solid partnership alongside Dawson and Toti in a back three.
His rise from non-league to Premier League captaincy has been nothing short of remarkable, especially considering that the Old Gold shelled out just £40k to sign him from Maidenhead United in 2018, as he was originally added to the U23 squad.
He made his debut during the 2018/19 season, taking no time at all to integrate into the first team picture. Since then, the defender has made 148 appearances for the senior side, scoring three goals in that time.
Under O’Neil this term, the 26-year-old has been in wonderful form. He ranks first among the entire squad for accurate passes per game (51.8) in the Premier League, along with currently holding second place for accurate long balls (3.9) per game and for interceptions per game (1), showcasing his defensive abilities throughout the season.
The Englishman even ranks in the top 38% when compared to his positional peers in Europe’s top five leagues for blocks (1.59), clearances (4.8) and aerials won (2.46) per 90 across the previous 365 days, yet further evidence of his abilities shining through.
The £50k-per-week titan was even hailed by former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher in 2023, who said: "Max Kilman at the back for Wolves, an ever-present for Wolves all season. He’s no-frills at centre back, he just gets on with his job and very rarely makes mistakes, hence why he’s an automatic pick no matter who the manager is."
High praise indeed from a Premier League icon and his displays this season have seen his market value rise.
Max Kilman’s market value at Wolves
According to Transfermarkt, Kilman’s current valuation is €35m (£30m), which should increase by the time the summer transfer window rolls around.
This value is also over twice the value of Toti, demonstrating just how vital Kilman has been for the Old Gold this season and O’Neil will be hoping he stays at the club, continuing to impress at the heart of the defence – while it also represents a mammoth increase of 74,900% from his original £40k fee.
If any offer that was too good to refuse did arrive during the summer, it may be hard for the manager to turn down, which would mark a stunning profit on a player who cost just £40k and who has turned out to be one of the finest bargains in the club’s history.
O’Neil will be praying this doesn’t happen as the 26-year-old will be crucial next season if a European berth is the ultimate goal for the Molineux side.
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