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Julen Lopetegui is in self-preservation mode at Wolves – for second time this summer

The most significant thing about Julen Lopetegui’s big pre-season tell-all interview was that it happened.

There were a couple of new lines to come out of the Wolverhampton Wanderers head coach’s sit-down in Portugal with his go-to outlet, the Spanish football journalist Guillem Balague. More of those shortly.

But more telling than anything in the pair’s chat was the fact Lopetegui felt the need to have it.

The stony face that greeted Balague’s light-hearted introduction to his Pure Football Podcast show was not that of a man in the mood for small talk.

It was clear throughout that Lopetegui was not a happy man and wanted to make as much clear to Wolves supporters, who are equally frustrated by the shortage of signings this summer.

The Spaniard’s primary aim seemed to be to distance himself and his staff — and sporting director Matt Hobbs and the Wolves recruitment team, who he protected in his comments — from any flak should the upcoming season not pan out as hoped.

It was understandable but never a good sign when a manager enters self-preservation mode, especially when it happens twice in just a couple of months.

Wolves have been here before, in May, when Lopetegui was making similar disgruntled noises about the picture for the summer being different to the one that was painted when he arrived during last season, even hinting he could walk away after just six months in the job.

Now, he is suggesting the goalposts have moved again since he committed his future in June, even after the sales of Ruben Neves, Nathan Collins and Conor Coady.

“I came here with a project and idea that if we were able to save the team, we would be able to improve,” he told Balague.

“It was bad news for me. I tried in the summer. This was Plan A. We went to a Plan B, trying to think about cost-effective players, but it’s true at the moment we can’t develop this plan, too.

“We lost a lot of players and we think the club want to sell more players. In this situation, we need players to balance the squad and be competitive in the Premier League.

“I know the sporting director, Matt Hobbs, and the recruitment, all this team, have worked very hard to have a Plan A and Plan B, but unfortunately we can’t develop this plan.

“It’s a pity because you are thinking at any moment key players can come and, in the end, they don’t for different reasons. We were excited by this new plan but now we don’t have this plan because we don’t have any new players.

“We had a lot of players out and now we have only incorporated one new free player (Matt Doherty). It is not just for me but for the sporting director, a big disappointment.”

How much the financial situation has changed since the end of last season is questionable.

But what is clear is that communication and trust between Lopetegui and Fosun, in the form of executive chairman Jeff Shi, is not where it needs to be.

The head coach admitted as much with his pointed comments on the departure of Raul Jimenez to Fulham and the suggestion he is out of the loop when it comes to what will happen next with outgoing players. Jimenez was announced as a Fulham player on Tuesday night.

“Daniel Podence is not here because the club want to sell him,” said Lopetegui.

“If you asked me yesterday morning about Raul, I think Raul is going to stay here and now he leaves. So I don’t know what else will happen, we will see.”

By last night, Lopetegui was back in his comfort zone, in the technical area in Portugal as Wolves defeated Porto 1-0 in their first public friendly of the summer.

Pedro Neto’s first-half goal settled the game in the favour of a Wolves team in which Doherty, a second-half substitute, was the only new face, with fellow free transfer Tom King one of three unused goalkeeping substitutes.

It was impossible to read much into a low-key game, even though challenges became feisty at times.

Matheus Nunes spent much of his time in a wide role, similar to the one he occupied for most of his time on the field under Lopetegui last season.

Pablo Sarabia operated largely as a No 10 behind lone striker Matheus Cunha, who again showed a penchant for dropping deep, doing little to allay the doubts about his ability to operate as a lone forward.

Sasa Kalajdzic was unused after Lopetegui had told Balague it would be unfair to burden him with the expectation of leading the line after 11 months out injured and Maximilian Kilman was captain, a role he is now favourite to fill when the Premier League season begins.

Lopetegui insisted his mind was focused solely on the clash with his former club. “My problems start and finish on the pitch. It is not under my control. I have to do my best, work very hard and try to compete with the players who are here,” he said.

Yet it was abundantly clear from his chat with Balague that at least part of his mind is elsewhere.

And while it is not too late to get all of Wolves’ key figures back on the same page, the rush to self-preservation cannot fail to set alarm bells ringing.