Vitor Pereira, the manager of Wolves, disclosed that their former captain Mario Lemina is eager to depart from the club. Lemina was absent from the team’s 3-0 loss to Newcastle on Wednesday, marking only the second defeat under Pereira’s leadership after taking over from Gary O’Neil.
In a post-match interview, Pereira clarified the reason behind Lemina’s absence from the squad.
“I cannot include a player who informs me that he is not mentally prepared to contribute to the team,” said Pereira. “He (Lemina) has expressed his desire to leave.
“I am not aware of the circumstances that led to this decision, but based on his current attitude and mindset, his presence is unnecessary for me.”
Pereira’s statement indicates that Lemina has been contemplating his departure for quite some time. The 31-year-old lost the captaincy at Molineux last month following an altercation with Jarrod Bowen during a match against West Ham, for which he later apologized.
Although O’Neil appointed Nelson Semedo as the new captain before his dismissal a week later, Lemina did not regain his leadership role under Pereira.
It is now possible that Lemina might exit the club in the remaining two weeks of the transfer window. Wolves struggled in Lemina’s absence during the match against Newcastle, resulting in a 3-0 defeat that places them in the relegation zone based on goal difference.
