“He’s helping us alot in training more than the manager”- Wolves captain Nelson Semedo has drawn attention to one unlikely source of inspiration within the squad who ‘helps’ alot behind the scenes
Wolves captain Nelson Semedo has drawn attention to one unlikely source of inspiration within the squad.
The Old Gold suffered their first defeat in six games after losing 1-0 to Manchester City at the Etihad, but that hasn’t dented the mood around Compton Park.
Vitor Pereira led his players to acknowledge the fans at full-time in Manchester, showcasing the togetherness in the Wolves squad at present.
The sense of unity that Pereira has implemented since his arrival in December is something quite remarkable, with every player having a role to ensure the club kick on.
Nelson Semedo applauds Nasser Djiga’s impact
While Pereira certainly has a list of players who stand out as the most impactful in the squad, inspiration is coming from all angles at Wolves.
Club captain Nelson Semedo drew attention to such following the defeat to Man City, as he lauded the signings Pereira made in the January window.
“With Vitor arriving, we had a change, and the change was good. Also, we had the players that came to help,” Semedo said to Wolves’ official website, before lauding one rarely-seen player’s impact.
“Agba came to help a lot, Munetsi, Nasser [Djiga], who is not playing that much, but he’s helping us a lot on training. All of that together makes us stronger.”
Wolves signed Nasser Djiga from Red Star Belgrade in January but have seen very little of the centre-back, who is waiting for his moment to impress.
There’s hope that Djiga will get more game time with the end of the season in sight, but for now, it appears that his impact is impressing those around him without the need to prove himself in games.
Nasser Djiga’s minutes since joining Wolves
Since signing in January, the Burkina Faso international has played only 20 minutes in the Premier League and has failed to start a league game.
Andy Thompson noticed Djiga’s nervousness when he did start a fixture, securing a spot in the starting XI in Wolves’ FA Cup defeat to Bournemouth in March.
Pereira is clearly easing the 22-year-old into action as he continues to adapt to his new surroundings, having traded the Serbian top flight for the Premier League.
What’s interesting is that Djiga was playing in the Champions League earlier this season, showing that there’s a player there to be utilised once he’s adapted to the demands of the English game.
Semedo’s insight into the defender behind the scenes at Compton is uplifting, as Djiga eyes more minutes in the 2025/26 campaign.
