Wolves give themselves best chance of Premier League survival and 2026 transfer saga
Jorgen Strand Larsen has reportedly agreed to sign a new contract at Wolverhampton Wanderers, in a huge boost to their bid for Premier League survival.
Wolves are bottom of the Premier League four games into 2025/26 after losing all four of their opening fixtures.
It was always going to be a tough season after losing talismanic forward Matheus Cunha, but the club’s hierarchy isn’t panicking, with a new contract for head coach Vitor Pereira also in the works, according to reports.
In their first two home games of the season, Wolves conceded seven goals in defeats to Manchester City and Everton. On the road, they’ve been narrowly beaten 1-0 by Newcastle United and Bournemouth.
They’ve also been without Strand Larsen since the defeat at Bournemouth on matchday two, in fairness.
The Norwegian striker has scored 16 goals and made five assists in 41 appearances for Wolves and is now the attacker Pereira is leaning on heavily after Cunha’s exit.
He remains sidelined with an Achilles problem that Pereira admitted is “more serious” than first thought, though his absence was initially assumed to be down to the Newcastle transfer saga.
MORE ON WOLVES ON F365
👉 Arsenal’s elite finishing, Man Utd just shoot, Spurs’ unsustainable start: one xG nugget per Premier League club
👉 Man Utd top Premier League five-year net spend table after 2025 window
👉 Premier League winners and losers: Amorim sack; Emery, Maresca struggle; Arsenal, Woltemade shine
Eddie Howe’s side tried twice to prise him away, going as high as £55million in August, but Wolves stood firm, having only just made his 2024 loan from Celta Vigo permanent.
Newcastle have since moved on, signing Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa, which makes a January move for Strand Larsen very unlikely – even if the player were to push for one again.
So no, news of his new deal isn’t a ‘Newcastle blow’. They’ve moved on, and more importantly, I don’t want to be in Mediawatch.
An Express and Star exclusive says Strand Larsen has agreed a new contract without a release clause, which is the best news Wolves fans could’ve hoped for.
They were stung by Cunha’s clause when Manchester United swooped, though £60m-plus for the Brazilian might still be spun as decent business. But being relegated from the Premier League would prove otherwise, and Wolves have at least given themselves a fighting chance by tying down Strand Larsen.
His goals will be absolutely crucial in a season where an actual relegation battle looks nailed on, with promoted sides Sunderland, Burnley and Leeds United looking far more equipped to survive than the 2024/25 and 2023/24 crop.
In the last two seasons, all six promoted clubs have gone straight back down. Wolves staying up comfortably last year had more to do with how awful Leicester, Ipswich and Southampton were than how well Wolves played.
The same could be said for Manchester United and Tottenham, who both coasted towards a Europa League final despite having historically bad league campaigns.
This time, though, there should be a proper scrap at the bottom, and Wolves are among the favourites to go. That was true before a ball was kicked, and their start hasn’t changed anyone’s mind, only added more people to the bandwagon.
Ending the uncertainty around Strand Larsen’s future should at least lift a grey cloud over Molineux…until next summer, when he inevitably fancies leaving again.
READ NEXT: Big Weekend: Arsenal v Man City, Liverpool, Ollie Watkins, Ruben Amorim
