Wolverhampton Wanderers sporting director Kevin Thelwell has suggested that the club do not intend to stockpile the first-team squad ahead of their return to the Premier League.

Since winning the Championship title, Wolves have been linked with a wide array of players, including those currently plying their trade at some of European football's biggest clubs.

However, despite the speculation, Thelwell has indicated that Nuno Espirito Santo is looking to have no more than 20 senior players at Molineux by the time that the season gets underway in the middle of August.

Thelwell told the Express & Star: "It'll be quality over quantity. We're looking at having a smaller group of senior players, supported by a strong group of young and hungry players.

"Nuno prefers to work with a leaner squad so without question we're looking at that model, a squad of maybe 19 or 20 seniors and the rest will be younger players who are going to grow with us.

"We've seen Bright Enobakhare this season, Morgan Gibbs-White, Harry Burgoyne, Oskar Buur Rasmussen, those sort of boys proved they're capable of supporting over the course of the season."

Stoke City goalkeeper Jack Butland, Sporting Lisbon stopper Rui Patricio, Rio Ave midfielder Pele and AC Milan forward Andre Silva are among the players to be linked with a switch to the West Midlands outfit.