Julen Lopetegui insists Connor Ronan will get Wolves chance

Wolves manager Julen Lopetegui has insisted that former Republic of Ireland Under-21 international Connor Ronan will get an opportunity to stake his claim at the club.

The midfielder has yet to see game-time since Lopetegui was appointed manager of the Premier League side just as the pre-World Cup hiatus began last November following the sacking of Bruno Lage.

Unlike previous seasons, Ronan has not gone out on loan during this campaign. He spent last season at St Mirren which marked his sixth loan spell since breaking through at Wolves in 2016.

But he has made just two first-team appearances since the start of the season. He played just one minute in the Premier League as a substitute against Brighton and just over an hour in the Carabao Cup third round win over Leeds, both in November under then-interim manager Steve Davis.

While Ireland defender Nathan Collins is a fixture in the Wolves back four and Irish Under-21 midfielder Joe Hodge - increasingly a regular in the side - also started against Liverpool in Saturday's 2-2 draw in the FA Cup third round, Ronan was an unused substitute at Anfield.

But Lopetegui has told the Express & Star newspaper that Ronan will be given a chance in the team over the coming weeks.

"Connor is our player and is working to try and show that he's able to be here," said the Spanish coach.

"He's going to have his chance. We have a lot of matches and I am sure he's going to have minutes."

Ronan has received one call-up to the Ireland senior team with Stephen Kenny including the attacking midfielder in the squad for the friendlies against Belgium and Lithuania last March, although he did not go on to feature in either match.