Bruno Lage could start Toti Gomes at Brentford next week and admits Wolverhampton Wanderers might need him beyond January.
Bruno Lage said: “We said to the kid between Wednesday and Thursday, ‘You’re going to play so prepare yourself.’ We prepared in the defensive and offensive moments. It was important for the boys to understand he helped us to continue to play in our system with everything in the same position. This week we put a lot of effort in to prepare everything. Toti did a fantastic job. It’s a question of opportunity for him. He had the opportunity to come. Two weeks ago he was on his holidays and we needed him, so he came. He had the chance to play in the Premier League after two weeks. I just know him during these weeks. I don’t want to put pressure on him and he’s helped us to win this game. He has potential. He’s a calm player and after training we can see this is the best solution for the game.”
Lage could be boosted by the returns of Marcal, Ki-Jana Hoever and Neves for next weekend’s trip to Brentford. But Toti is in with a chance of starting his second successive game for Wolves.
Bruno Lage added: “Now I need to prepare for the next game and if nothing changes I need to go with Toti again. We will go with the same feeling. I prefer not to change too many things and prepare in the best way for Brentford.”
Toti’s star turn inevitably prompts questions as to whether Wolves could keep the defender at Molineux beyond January. The club’s plan had been to send him back to Grasshoppers to complete his season-long loan in Switzerland. However, if Wolves are unable to sign the centre-back Lage requires in the transfer market, Toti could remain in England to bolster the head coach’s options.
Bruno Lage said “Good question. I don’t have the answe. It’s day by day. He’s with us and I’m very happy with him, let’s see what happens at the end of January.”
Portuguese defender Toti, 22, was drafted into Wolves’ starting line-up against Southampton to replace Romain Saiss and helped his team seal a 3-1 win. The debutant produced an impressive performance, including an excellent block to deny Che Adams an equaliser just minutes before Adama Traore’s clinching stoppage time goal. An injury to Marcal and a positive Covid-19 test for Ruben Neves, which left a hole in midfield for Leander Dendoncker to fill, gave Lage a headache earlier this week.
