Pre-season training | Week one round-up

9th July 2023

It’s been a week since the majority of Julen Loptegui’s first-team squad returned to Compton Park for pre-season training and there has been plenty of news coming out of the team.

As preparations for the opening Premier League fixture of the 2023/24 season against Manchester United ramp up with each passing day, Lopetegui has been taking note of each of the players he has at his disposal as they all look to impress.

Wolves.co.uk has rounded up all that has been going on around the men’s first-team during the first week of pre-season.

Day minus-five | Tuesday 27th June

The first Wolves players back through the doors at Compton Park this summer were Sasa Kalajdzic and Chiquinho as the pair returned five days before the rest of their teammates to resume their recovery from long-term injuries.

Winger Chiquinho missed the entirety of the 2022/23 campaign after picking up a knee ligament injury in a behind closed doors friendly victory over Burnley last pre-season, while Austrian striker Kalajdzic sustained a similar injury inside 45 minutes of his Old Gold debut against Southampton in September.

#2023PreSeason

Day minus-two | Friday 30th June

Three days later, they were joined by another of the players who began pre-season early due to recovery – Raul Jimenez.

The striker had sustained an injury to his groin in Mexico’s 2-0 friendly win over Guatemala in June, meaning he missed the subsequent draw with Cameroon and was unable to be part of his country’s CONCACAF Nations League and Gold Cup fixtures.

Day one | Sunday 2nd July

The bulk of Lopetegui’s squad were back for pre-season testing last Sunday morning as the likes of Joao Gomes, Matheus Cunha and Matheus Nunes reunited with teammates following the summer break.

They also met some returning faces who had been out on loan last season as the players underwent medical tests before preparations for 2023/24 could properly begin.

Day two | Monday 3rd July

Wolves’ first training session of the new season got underway on Monday, which coincided with the latest addition to the squad as goalkeeper Tom King signed for the Old Gold.

There were also a few introductions as Julen Lopetegui met the likes of Ryan Giles, Luke Cundle and Dion Sanderson for the first time after the academy graduates had all been out on loan during his time as head coach.

Day three | Tuesday 4th July

After a morning training session at Compton, the players were soon boarding a coach headed for Birmingham Airport as they travelled to their warm weather training camp in Portugal.

Jetting off to the Algarve with the senior players included a select group of under-21s who had impressed Lopetegui and his staff with their performances for James Collins’ side last season.

Day four | Wednesday 5th July

The first day of warm weather training out in Portugal involved plenty of efforts on the training pitch, as the squad got to work on their preparations for the 2023/24 Premier League season.

Wolves’ first-team players got a first glimpse of their training base for the next 10 days before getting involved in fitness and ball work in the Algarve sun.

Day five | Thursday 6th July

Although Chiquinho got straight to work with the squad having recovered from his knee injury, Kalajdzic is being eased back into action with Wolves, but he was back on the ball for the first time in Portugal on Thursday.

With a chance to see Kalajdzic's ball skills for the first time, Lopetegui has also been using the camp to run the rule over several of his players as he makes decisions on his squad for next season.

Day six | Friday 7th July

The Austrian celebrated his 26th birthday a day after joining in with the ball in training as he stepped up his rehabilitation. Although his training didn't prepare him for having to blow out the trick candles on his birthday cake!

But Kalajdzic wasn’t the only striker back on the ball this week, as Jimenez’s recovery was also going up a notch while out in Portugal.

The Mexican has been working on a personal training programme during the first few days in the Algarve as his groin recovers, before he is phased back into full training in preparation for the new season.

Day seven | Saturday 8th July

As the weekend arrived, training continued for Lopetegui’s squad, and before lunch, Matheus Nunes spoke to Wolves TV’s Gemma Frith about his summer so far.

The Portuguese midfielder discussed recharging his batteries following a tough debut season in Old Gold and also how much he is looking forward to showing just what he can do in the Premier League in the upcoming campaign.

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“I took to the project, and I believe in it a lot. I will do everything for the fans.”

Matheus Cunha