Pereira criticises Cunha 'body language'

Cunha joined Wolves from Atletico Madrid in January 2023

Wolves manager Vitor Pereira has criticised the behaviour of forward Matheus Cunha following their 3-1 defeat at Chelsea on Monday.

Cunha went straight down the tunnel at full-time, without acknowledging the away fans, which an unimpressed Pereira said was "something that cannot happen".

"He's a captain. He can be frustrated as he wants to win, but everyone in the dressing room wants to win. I don't like his body language," added Pereira.

"I want a captain to try to help the team with running, suffering and fighting together. But I understand it now - next time I won't understand."

Cunha, who has scored 10 league goals for Wolves this season, was recently banned for two games and fined £80,000 by the Football Association following a defeat at Ipswich Town in December.

The Brazil striker was charged with misconduct after he elbowed a member of the Ipswich staff before snatching his glasses off his face.

Wolves sacked Gary O'Neil as manager following the game and replaced him with Pereira.

Lemina will not play in transfer window - Pereira

Pereira also said midfielder Mario Lemina will not play while the January transfer window is open.

Lemina, 31, wants to leave the club and asked not to play in their 3-0 defeat at Newcastle on 15 January.

The Gabon international has since apologised to Pereira and the rest of the playing squad and said he is "ready to do his best for the team" until a solution is found.

Wolves - 17th in the Premier League - want £5m for Lemina, who joined from Southampton two years ago.

Saudi Pro League club Al-Shabab have asked to sign him on a free transfer, but Wolves are not willing to entertain that.

Pereira said: "For me, he is out until the end of the market and when the market closes, I will see if he is my player.

"If he is it will be a problem I solve because he is a good player, or he goes out and is not my problem.

"I don't want a player with doubts. I cannot play with a player that has doubts in his mind. I want players committed with the project.

"He is training but at the moment the mind is not here because he still wants to move and go. I must be honest and say what happened. I will wait until the end of the market and see."

The transfer window is due to close at 23:00 GMT on Monday, 3 February, with Wolves hosting Arsenal and Aston Villa before then.

Lemina was club captain at the start of the season, but was stripped of the role by former manager O'Neil after he had an altercation with West Ham's Jarrod Bowen following the final whistle in their 2-1 defeat at London Stadium.

O'Neil said at the time Lemina "would remain part of the squad's leadership group".

Lemina has only played 31 minutes since Pereira was appointed as O'Neil's successor on 19 December.

"We can commit mistakes in life, I did some mistakes in my life," said Pereira on Friday, when he revealed Lemina had apologised. "We must give him the opportunity to show in the act, not with words.

"I believe he spoke with his heart and he will try, I am here to see if he can or not. If he can help, OK; if he cannot, I prefer to go with another one who is committed.

"Mario has quality, he can bring us physicality in the midfield, technical quality. It depends on his mind. I hope until the end of the season or the end of the month he will be able to help us."