After Wolverhampton Wanderers tried and failed to sign at least one high-profile player during the closing days of the summer window, Bruno Lage and the club's supporters were left deflated with what came across as a lack of urgency in the transfer market.
Since that disappointment, Lage has worked wonders with a small squad, collecting 25 points from 15 games played since the start of September, the fifth-best return in the Premier League.
Nevertheless, the Portuguese has demanded reinforcements at the halfway stage of the season, and further questions will be asked of the club's owners if they do not meet his expectations.
While that remains a priority, Sports Mole suggests five things that Wolves must do during the opening month of 2022.
Sign a new midfielder
Missing out on Renato Sanches and Boubacar Kamara left Lage with just three senior central midfielders in Ruben Neves, Joao Moutinho and Leander Dendoncker, and Wolves and Lage have done an efficient job in keeping the trio fit throughout the opening half of the season.
However, a fresh face is imperative, both in terms of added numbers and an eventual replacement being found for 35-year-old Moutinho. The latter may not necessarily be achieved in January, but it is a pressing issue which needs to be on Wolves' mind.
If speculation is to be believed, Sanches and Kamara may now be out of Wolves' reach, but there are enough alternatives out there to leave the West Midlands outfit with no excuses when it comes to finding another suitable player.
Sell Willy Boly, recall Dion Sanderson
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There was once a time when Willy Boly was untouchable in the centre of the Wolves' defence, and the imposing Ivory Coast international deserved the opportunity that he was given to get himself fit for this campaign.
However, the 30-year-old has quickly gone from asset to liability, something that Lage hinted at over the weekend. While Boly would have been powerless to break into the team given the form of the players in front of him, he has not always been in a position to deputise, leaving him limited to just one outing in the EFL Cup this season.
With 18 months left on his contract, Wolves should maximise the fee that they can generate from his sale, as well as reducing their wage bill at a time when more leeway might be required to sign other players.
There is an argument that Dion Sanderson, who was handed a new contract in the summer, is not necessarily benefitting from game time in a struggling Birmingham City side, and Wolves could use the second half of the season to bed him into Lage's way of thinking by replacing Boly with the 22-year-old.
Loan out Fabio Silva
For someone who does not turn 20 until December, Fabio Silva cannot have too many complaints with already accumulating 11 starts and 28 substitute appearances in the Premier League.
However, having shelled out £35m for the Portuguese prospect, Wolves have an investment to protect, and Silva's valuation will drop by the month the longer that he is restricted to the briefest of cameo outings every so often.
Executive chairman Jeff Shi has frequently spoken highly of Silva and will always back him to eventually live up to his potential, but there can be no room for sentiment when it comes to trying to aid the youngster's development.
Whether it comes in the EFL or a lower-placed team in a major European league, Silva needs a run of starts, and Wolves' only option is to give him the chance to flourish elsewhere and bring in a different alternative to Raul Jimenez.
Negotiate permanent Patrick Cutrone exit
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Staying on the subject of questionable investments, and Wolves are already at the stage where they will recoup nowhere near to the £16m fee that they shelled out for Patrick Cutrone in 2019.
However, after failing to make an impact during loan spells at Fiorentina and Valencia, the one-cap Italy international is finally enjoying his football again at Empoli, making nine starts and six substitute outings in Serie A this season.
The fact that Cutrone has scored just two goals is irrelevant. Last season's Serie B champions are five games unbeaten in the top flight and challenging for the European places, and Cutrone has played a part in that progression.
With just 18 months left on his contract, Wolves need to be sensible when negotiating any fee with Empoli, but January is the time to cut their losses while both Empoli and Cutrone are happy with their partnership.
Find loans for several youngsters
Such has been Wolves' lack of squad depth that the likes of Luke Cundle and Chem Campbell have been regulars on the substitutes' bench this season. However, despite being highly-regarded, neither have been given a single minute of Premier League football.
With Wolves constantly involved in so many tight matches, that is perhaps understandable, but both players are at a stage where they need a run of senior action, like Theo Corbeanu has benefitted from during his time at Sheffield Wednesday.
Much will depend on how many players arrive at Molineux over the coming weeks. If it is just one or two, the pair will most likely stay put, but Wolves need to identify a plan for the pair, as well as Hugo Bueno who has recently returned from injury.
