Wolverhampton Wanderers have had a tough start to their 2023/24 campaign, as issues from last season and the summer break have tarnished Gary O’Neil’s plans with his squad.

The Englishman took charge of the Old Gold just four days before their Premier League opener, following Julen Lopetegui’s departure due to worries about the size of his squad due to the club’s financial restrictions.

After making sufficient sales without room for replacements, O’Neil admitted that his side is “£80m short” of players this term, which is unfortunately reflected in the level of performance so far.

Losing star names such as Ruben Neves, Raul Jimenez, Joao Moutinho and Matheus Nunes got Wolves off to a difficult start, resulting in the need for other players in the squad to step up and attempt to contend in the league.

What does Gary O’Neil have to improve at Wolves?

In their opening six Premier League fixtures, the Midlands side have recorded one win, one draw and four losses, where they have conceded 12 goals which stands at the third-highest number of goals conceded so far.

Only newly promoted Sheffield United and Burnley have let in more goals from the opposition than Wolves, hinting that O’Neil may have to go back to basics to ensure his side can improve.

Speaking of the basics, the Molineux outfit have scored the joint-fourth lowest number of goals so far, with six in six games, with the common narrative of their games being that they didn’t take their chances.

The 2022/23 campaign saw Wolves end the season as the Premier League’s lowest-scorers with just 31 in 38, and with no fresh firepower in their arsenal, history could repeat itself if changes aren’t made.

O’Neil may not need to look far to seek a goalscorer, with one academy player showing just how clinical he can be in the final third during his time at the club, as Nathan Fraser has shown signs that he could be nearing a breakthrough.

What could Nathan Fraser offer to Wolves?

A product of Wolves’ academy, Fraser worked his way through the ranks at his boyhood club over the years to make his senior debut earlier this campaign in the Carabao Cup.

It didn’t take long for the Wolverhampton-born starlet to showcase what he’s capable of, as he scored and assisted in the 28 minutes that he featured in the 5-0 win over Blackpool.

The 18-year-old was handed another senior appearance earlier this week during Wolves’ defeat to Ipswich Town in the cup, suggesting that O’Neil may be tempted to hand him a sporadic role in the first team as time passes.

Previously lauded as “dangerous” by analyst Mark Broomy, Fraser has what his club desires, which is the ability to score goals.

Last season, the youngster played in the Premier League 2 as an integral part of the U21 side, where he scored seven goals and recorded two assists in 23 appearances in the level above his age group.

This term has started swimmingly for the striker, who has already scored five from seven appearances in all competitions, including his senior goal that had people gushing over his talent.

If O’Neil can integrate the academy star into his plans going forward, the manager could significantly improve Wolves’ fortunes in the final third, in a player that is both well-equipped and hungry to succeed for the club.