Doctor provides official update on Wolves star after devastating injury that will sideline him for months

Wolves have been hit with another injury setback ahead of their clash with Brighton at Molineux on Sunday, with manager Vítor Pereira facing selection headaches across his squad. The Premier League season is already proving physically demanding for many sides, and Wolves now have to cope with important absences in key positions just as momentum is building.

The Midlands club are already looking to bounce back after an inconsistent run of results, but the absence of a senior player at the back could make things even more difficult against a Brighton team known for their sharp attacking play. With the international break just around the corner, Wolves were hoping to keep as many players fit as possible. Instead, Pereira is being forced into reshuffling his defensive setup, something he would have preferred to avoid.

At the centre of this latest blow is one of Wolves’ most reliable performers in recent seasons, a defender whose experience and consistency has been crucial. He had been carrying an issue since August, when he picked up a knock during a clash with Bournemouth. For several weeks, he tried to play through the pain with a protective cast, showing admirable commitment to the cause. However, the situation has since worsened, and doctors decided that surgery was the only way forward.

That player is Matt Doherty, the Irish full-back whose absence will be deeply felt by both club and country. The 32-year-old has now undergone wrist surgery and will be unavailable for Sunday’s game. While no exact timeframe has been confirmed, the expectation is that he could miss several weeks of action, potentially ruling him out of more fixtures in October when Wolves return from the international break. His injury also means he will not feature for the Republic of Ireland during their upcoming matches, further underlining the seriousness of the setback.

Doherty’s absence is not the only concern for Wolves. Fellow defender Toti Gomes is struggling with the flu and remains a doubt for the Brighton clash. Pereira may need to consider alternative defensive partnerships if Gomes fails to recover in time, with squad depth set to be tested once again. In attack, Jørgen Strand Larsen could return to the fold after his battle with an Achilles problem, though there are still questions about how much he can contribute in his current state of recovery.

With Brighton visiting Molineux on Sunday, Wolves’ defensive line will be under the spotlight. Losing Doherty is a major setback, and if Gomes is also unavailable, Pereira’s tactical approach may need significant adjustment. The coming weeks will test Wolves’ resilience, and how they cope without their experienced Irish defender could play a decisive role in their early-season form.