Wolves are eyeing a £20m ace with a “huge future” to replace the current player

Although the transfer window is still in its early days, the biggest news from Molineux concerns the first team players who look set to leave Wolverhampton Wanderers and the ongoing efforts to replace them.

O'Neil will lose players this summer

Max Kilman's £40million move to West Ham United has grabbed most of the headlines in the West Midlands of late as Wolves head into next season without their captain. In an attempt to fill the void of the outgoing England player, Wolves have revealed that they will be looking for Nico Elvedi from Borussia Mönchengladbach.

Recent reports have also suggested that current goalkeeper Daniel Bentley could be on his way out of Molineux with Arsenal keen on the 30-year-old. Bentley could be joined in North London by Pedro Neto, who has been linked with Tottenham Hotspur this summer.

With a number of Gary O'Neil's first-choice stars attracting interest from the Premier League's top six, Wolves have already begun the process of finding replacements.

Wolves eye reinforcements between the sticks

As first reported by Give Me Sport, Wolves are considering a move for Sunderland stopper Anthony Patterson. The outlet says O'Neil is keen to replace the outgoing Bentley and sees the number one Black Cats as an ideal choice.

It is clear that the Wolves manager wants to back Jose Sa firmly and after Patterson's performance on Wearside last season, there is no doubt that he can easily do the job.

Patterson featured in all but one of Sunderland's league games last season as the 24-year-old emerged as a bright spot in an otherwise disappointing campaign. Despite his side finishing 16th in the Championship last week, Patterson managed to hold joint-fourth place on points in the division, showing that the Black Cats' struggles had nothing to do with him.

The 24-year-old's form on Wearside has earned him the praise of former Black Cats boss Tony Mowbray who said of the player's future: “It's amazing to think what he'll be like when he's 30 and he still has six to eight years to play at such a young age and he's so good at what he does. He obviously has a big future.”

While Wolves will be keen to pursue a deal for Patterson, Sunderland are unlikely to facilitate negotiations for the West Midlands asset.

Give Me Sport reports that the Black Cats have splashed £20million on the goalkeeper. Additionally, Patterson's current contract will keep him at the Stadium of Light until 2028, meaning there is no pressure for the club to sell this summer.

While Bentley's move away from Molineux is yet to be confirmed by the club, Wolves will be desperate not to be caught this summer and agreeing to an initial deal for Patterson would be a smart move on O'Neil's part.