Steve Madeley

West Midlands

Wolves Reporter and Writer at The Athletic

Writer for @TheAthleticFC, covering Wolves. Father of two. Lover of cricket, blocker of cretins. Views my own. #WWFC #Wolves https://t.co/3eXQNDMKVl

Articles

Wolves’ Premier League fixtures: Full 2025-26 schedule and key dates

1 week ago | nytimes.com | Steve Madeley |Jessica Hopkins

Wolves will start their 2025-26 season at home to Manchester City, who may still be feeling the effects of the Club World Cup, and visit Bournemouth and host Everton before the end of August. Vitor Pereira’s side produced a strong end to the 2024-25 campaign to move clear of relegation and finish 16th. Next term may prove tougher, however, following the sales of top scorer Matheus Cunha — to Manchester United — and key player Rayan Ait-Nouri, to Manchester City.
The 81 top transfer targets in the summer window for every position

1 week ago | nytimes.com | Steve Madeley |Mark Carey |Anantaajith Raghuraman

Imagine it is early April. You are sitting in a recruitment meeting for a Premier League or top European club. A whiteboard is covered with names. Plans for the summer transfer window are afoot. Who are the best options in each position? What is their contract situation? What would each player bring to your club? And why might they be available? Imagine no longer.
Wolves appoint Domenico Teti to new-look leadership team

1 week ago | nytimes.com | Steve Madeley

Wolverhampton Wanderers have confirmed the appointment of former Sampdoria and Al Shabab director Domenico Teti as part of a new-look Molineux leadership team. Teti, who worked with Wolves head coach Vitor Pereira in Saudi Arabia, has joined the club following the departure of former sporting director Matt Hobbs earlier this month. But the Italian is not seen as a direct replacement for Hobbs and will work alongside Pereira on organisational matters at Molineux.
The key transfer window dates this summer

1 week ago | nytimes.com | Steve Madeley

Any footballer who fails to complete their Premier League transfer before this summer's deadline should not despair. There is always Turkey. Or Greece. Or Portugal. Or Poland. Or Belgium. That's because of the differences in the calendar when it comes to trading, with global football never having agreed dates for windows opening and closing.
How Premier League transfers really work in 2025

1 week ago | nytimes.com | Steve Madeley

Many of us have signed a footballer in our time. We've approached their club, negotiated a fee, spoken to the player's representatives, agreed personal terms, crossed our fingers for good news about the medical and finally completed the deal. But while Football Manager and other simulators might offer a representation of how transfers would work if everyone stuck to the letter of the rules, in the real world, these moves effectively happen in reverse.
Wolves are going all-in on Pereira

3 weeks ago | nytimes.com | Steve Madeley

It is entirely possible that Wolverhampton Wanderers' unexpected footballing restructure will work out well. There are clear signs that the decisions made this week might signal a loosening of the purse strings from owners Fosun, which will give the club a better chance of building a stronger squad.
What can Manchester City expect from Rayan Ait-Nouri?

3 weeks ago | nytimes.com | Steve Madeley

For any Manchester City fans who may be concerned about another signing from Wolverhampton Wanderers, fear not. Rayan Ait-Nouri is better than Matheus Nunes - at least, he has been for Wolves. While City's successful pursuit of Nunes two summers ago always seemed weird to Wolves watchers who had seen him struggle to make any impact during his year at Molineux, the decision to go for Ait-Nouri - The Athletic reported yesterday that a deal has been agreed - feels pretty natural.
Wolves sporting director Matt Hobbs leaves club in leadership overhaul

3 weeks ago | nytimes.com | Steve Madeley

Wolverhampton Wanderers sporting director Matt Hobbs has left Molineux with the club in talks to appoint former Sampdoria technical director Domenico Teti. Wolves are restructuring their football department with Jorge Mendes and his Gestifute agency expected to be handed a more prominent role.
'He turned from water into wine'

1 month ago | nytimes.com | Steve Madeley |Jack Lang

Perhaps Matheus Cunha and Manchester United were always meant to be. The Brazilian forward, who has been given permission to undergo a medical at Old Trafford before a proposed £62.5million ($83.7m) summer transfer from Wolverhampton Wanderers, was born just hours after one of United's most famous nights and 18 years later cemented his reputation as a prodigious talent by starring against them.
Wolves' player of the season: This was the year of Matheus Cunha

1 month ago | nytimes.com | Steve Madeley

In seven successive seasons back in the Premier League, Wolverhampton Wanderers have had successful, significant, star players. But never has a single campaign been linked so intrinsically to one player as the one just gone. Whether it was wonderful goals, inspired assists, an 'olympico', tantrums, sulks, a meltdown, a red card or a bizarre glasses incident, 2024-25 at Wolves was the year of Matheus Cunha.