Pedro Neto, Nuno & transfer bids: Every word Bruno Lage said before Wolves vs Tottenham

Here's what Wolves head coach Bruno Lage said in the broadcast section of his pre-Tottenham Hotspur press conference

Bruno Lage faced the press from Compton this afternoon ahead of his Premier League debut at Molineux.

The Wolverhampton Wanderers head coach's first home game sees ex-Molineux chief Nuno Espirito Santo make his return with Tottenham Hotspur.

Wolves opened up their league season with a 1-0 defeat at Leicester City last weekend, while Spurs beat champions Manchester City 1-0.

Lage was quizzed on numerous topics during the broadcast section of his press conference, from transfers to Nuno, Adama Traore and beyond.

First up, though, Lage was asked for an injury update after concerns emerged earlier this week that Pedro Neto had suffered a setback in his recovery from a serious knee injury.

Here's everything Lage said...

Injury news

“I think we can report that in the next press conference. I have a meeting with the doctor this afternoon so I can try to understand what has happened in that department, to check everything and then I will answer all the questions about injuries in the next press conference."

Has Pedro Neto suffered a setback?

“That’s why I have a meeting later today. I need to find out first, then after we will talk and I can answer everything. Instead of saying something I don’t know, I prefer to talk with the doctor and analyse everything, then maybe on Monday, before the Carabao Cup game, I will answer everything you want to know. No new (injuries).”

Transfer update

“We are working 24 hours every day to answer that question. We have 11 or 12 days to bring the players we want to be more competitive.

“The most important thing is our chairman knows what in my opinion we need; the profile, the positions, and we are working hard to bring the players we want for the squad. Top players, to be more competitive.

“For now it’s not important to talk about the positions, it’s important to talk about all the squad and to bring more top players to us.

“We need to take that step. We need to build up that team to create a good image of Wolverhampton.”

Have you made any progress?

“We are trying. The market now is very hard. There are too many clubs without money to buy. Like I am protecting all my top players here, other clubs are protecting theirs.

“We already know what we want and we are working very hard to bring those players to us.

“I am confident because since the first day I know what the team needs to play the way I want.”

Who has the final say?

“It’s my work. From my point of view, at the moment, we have a lot of young players who can be top players in the future but they need to continue to work.

“We have a lot of players with experience and for now I think we have to find the guys in the middle.

“I create the profiles, we have an experienced department to find the players and after we analyse - and if I say he’s the right player we go after him.”

Will more players need to be sold?

“For now I’m training with 15 professional players. In the last week I saw two players go and I think we are in the position to bring in guys instead of thinking about someone going.”

Ruben Neves links to Manchester United...

“All the top players we have are linked with all the clubs in the world. If you see the news in Portugal all the players at Benfica are being linked to Wolves.

“Every player has a price but what I saw from Ruben is that he’s happy to be here. What he did last game was very good and we’re not looking to see anyone go. For me it’s not a question, but you never know - if Messi changed from Barcelona to PSG anyone can go.”

Will Neves and Adama Traore still be Wolves players on September 1?

“Like I said before, in these questions you need to go day by day. Imagine if a big offer appeared for Ruben or Adama which can be good for the club, but also good for the player.

“We are trying to find our best deals and other clubs are trying to find their best deals.

“From my point of view we need to protect our best players, and Ruben and Adama are our best players."

Have Wolves received any bids for Neves or Traore?

“Not yet. Real proposals? No.”

Bruno on Nuno

“He will get a big welcome, him and his staff. Like I said before, what he did here was amazing. From Championship to Premier League and to play in the UEFA Cup, it was four amazing years.

“I think the fans will give him a big welcome but after the whistle they will support us, to help us to win the match.

“(His knowledge of the players) can help. But these days everyone knows everything about the opponent. The way we study the opponents, the way we can see the games, we can analyse everything.

“I think we are equal. But, of course, he knows our players better than the players he has at Tottenham at this point.

“They cannot forget what he did here, but after the whistle they will be behind me and my team. We’re working hard to continue to bring success to the club.”

Is it a good time to play Spurs?

“I think every time is a good opportunity. I don’t care what happens with the opponent, I care about the way we want to play.

“In the first game they beat Man City, so I don’t think (not having Harry Kane) is a problem for them.

“The way they played against Man City, they won, they beat the champions without him. I know him, he’s a top team with Tottenham and the national team. With him, they become strong, but without him they have others who can replace him.”

Wolves players are being vaccinated

“We are having no problems because everyone is being vaccinated. I can only speak for myself. I arrived here with no vaccines and I already take two and I think all my players go because I go with them.

“We all need to do the best thing to return to normal life, that’s why I did it and all my players did it.

“It’s important for all the world, not just the players. The moment we return to the normal world will be good for everyone.”

Adama Traore

“We are practicing a lot and I’m happy with what we did. We cannot put pressure on, we must just create chances and Adama created a lot of chances - not just Adama, the team created a lot of chances.

“He can play the three positions in front. He can grow up a little bit, especially to play more in the centre, in between lines. When you put him as an open winger in situations one against one, he knows what to do.

“I think he can improve more inside to link with players, also with the ball to create more chances for the other players, and the situations when he faces the goalkeeper. He can grow up in these situations and he knows that.”

How do you reflect on a game?

“My approach is very simple. After the match we analyse it with our analysts, that’s why I brought two - and there are also four in the club - so we analyse everything.

“We show some videos to the players on what they did well and what they need to improve. And that’s it.

“We analyse the game the next day and then we start working on top of that game. We weren’t happy with the result (vs Leicester) but we are confident with the process.”