New contract and loan for Hoever

Ki-Jana Hoever has signed a new contract at Wolves and joined Championship side Stoke City on loan for the 2023/24 season.

The loan agreement, which comes after a 12-month contract extension, continues the defender’s successful spell at the bet365 Stadium last term and will contain a recall option for January.

The Dutchman played 17 times for the Potters last season, having previously spent time at PSV, and has featured in the early part of pre-season under Julen Lopetegui back with Wolves, before a return to Stoke materialised.

Signed from Liverpool in 2020, the Dutchman has turned out 25 times in old gold but, following the return of fellow right-back Matt Doherty earlier this week, now leaves to continue his development elsewhere.

Sporting director Matt Hobbs said: “Ki had a tough first part of last season at PSV, where it didn’t work, but he did well at Stoke. They gave him an opportunity and his style of play fits their system, so we’d like him to show even more, and they’d earned the right to take him back.

“While we were working on ‘Doc’ [Matt Doherty], Ki wasn’t able to go in case that fell through. Once he was sorted, we moved quickly for Ki, and he is looking forward to going back with Alex Neil who did a great job for him. He’s also signed a new contract to protect us, so he’s not coming back with one year to go.

“He’s got to go there and show more of what he showed last season. He was one of the most dangerous full-backs in the Championship at one point, but we want to see that over a whole season.”