LONDON • Wolverhampton Wanderers managing director Laurie Dalrymple has hailed Nuno Espirito Santo as "an incredibly important component" to their return to the Premier League.

The English Championship leaders earned promotion to the top flight on Saturday without evenkicking a ball.

They ended their six-year exile from the big time when close rivals Fulham drew 1-1 with Brentford after conceding a 94th-minute equaliser.

Wolves secured promotion with four games to spare before defeating Birmingham City 2-0 yesterday to take their points haul up to 95.

Speaking to Sky Sports, Dalrymple said of manager Nuno: "He's a superb tactician, he's a superb strategist and he's a superb manmanager...

"I don't really want to single people out particularly because it's been a huge unified club effort from start to finish but there's no doubt he's been an incredibly important component in the whole thing."

Their success is not without controversy, however, following their tie-up with Portuguese super-agent Jorge Mendes.

Mendes represents Nuno, Wolves boss since last May, and star players Ruben Neves, Diogo Jota and Ivan Cavaleiro.

He also has a long association with Chinese group Fosun International, which holds a stake in his company.

He advised Fosun on the purchase of the club, with the takeover completed in 2016.

Rival Championship clubs were unhappy about the relationship, with Leeds United chairman Andrea Radrizzani saying Wolves' transfer policy was "not legal and fair".

REUTERS