Wolves transfer news: Ki-Jana Hoever gives verdict on future after surprise pre-season minutes in place of Nelson Semedo

Ki-Jana Hoever has suggested that he would like to remain at Wolverhampton Wanderers for the 2025-26 campaign.

In September 2020, Wolves paid in the region of £9m to sign the then-18-year-old from Liverpool, the hope being that he would progress into a key player.

Instead, Hoever has only accumulated 881 minutes of Premier League football spread across 20 appearances and spent three separate loan periods out on loan.

After stints with PSV Eindhoven and Stoke City, the former Netherlands Under-21 international impressed for Auxerre last season, making 30 appearances in Ligue 1.

With a year remaining on his contract, the expectation was that Hoever would be sold, but he has featured heavily during the early part of pre-season.

Hoever admits to receiving "big opportunity"

Hoever is getting his chance courtesy of Wolves having failed to replace Nelson Semedo, the club having missed out on Marc Pubill to Atletico Madrid earlier this week.

Nevertheless, Hoever has used that as a positive to stake his claim for a regular starting spot in the Premier League, and he admits that he needs to take his chance under Pereira.

The 23-year-old told the club's official website: "It’s a new manager for me, obviously, and it's been good so far. I enjoy working with the team, but also with the staff.

"They really try to get me to the next level. I feel like they really gave me an opportunity this time and I’m trying to do well. I think this coach and the way we want to play suits me. So, hopefully I can be involved.

“He [Pereira] just tries to improve me as a player. That's the most important. Obviously, it’s still early in pre-season, but he gives me a chance to show myself and I'm trying to do my best and take it.”

Hoever added: "I really love to work with him and with the staff. They just want to help me become a better player. I hope I can be important for them as well, for the club. I obviously know I've been away for some years, but for me it’s a big opportunity.

“I feel like when I came here when I was 18 years old, it was a long time ago. I was still really young, and I’ve developed a lot as a person, as a player, becoming an adult, and I feel like I'm ready, and hopefully I can show the staff, the Gaffer, but also the fans, the club.”

Will Wolves show faith in Hoever?

As it stands, Hoever's only recognised competition for the right wing-back role is Pedro Lima, who has only just turned 19 years of age and has limited senior experience.

With Lima due to represent Brazil at the Under-20s World Cup in September and October, Wolves can ill-afford to part ways with Hoever at this point in time.

That said, the Wolves hierarchy will want to protect themselves contractually, and discussions could realistically take place over the coming weeks if Pereira decides that he can rely on Hoever.

In his three loan periods away from the West Midlands, he contributed nine goals and 10 assists from 99 appearances, numbers which suggest that he at least deserves an opportunity to justify his price-tag from five years ago.