Romain Saiss confirms Wolves exit after six years at club

Romain Saiss has confirmed that he will leave Wolverhampton Wanderers after six years at the club.

The 32-year-old is out of contract and no agreement has been reached over a new deal. The defender said last week that he was “probably” going to leave.

Wolves had offered the Moroccan centre-back a new contract but his wage demands are said to be above what the club are willing to pay. Saiss also turned down a contract extension last year.

It is believed he has several other offers from across Europe.

Saiss has made 206 appearances for Wolves across all competitions since joining from Angers in 2016, and was a crucial member of the defence which anchored the club’s position in the Premier League after their promotion in 2018.

Writing on Instagram, the defender said: “The moment I feared the most has come… The moment to say goodbye to you after 6 wonderful years with you.

“It was an honour and a privilege to wear these colours and to contribute to the success and renewal of this club.

“I have met exceptional people over these six years, always looking out for me and my family.

“Thanks to the fans for your support despite the ups and downs, you’ve always been behind me. Thank you to the various people working at the club for your kindness on a daily basis. Thank you to the various technical and medical staff for your work, for having been an important part of our success.

“Finally, thank you to all the players that I consider as a family. A wardrobe of exceptional men that I will never forget.

“Thank you Wolves. I’ll be a wolf forever.”

Speaking about his future plans to French media outlet Brut, Saiss said last week: “I am open to any proposal, I really want to be in a serious project that will also allow me to continue to progress.”

(Photo: Jack Thomas – WWFC/Wolves via Getty Images)

Is his exit a blow for Wolves?

After six years it feels like a natural parting of ways. Wolves are keen to inject some youthful exuberance in their squad for next season and, while Saiss has been a consistent performer and probably enjoyed the best form of his Wolves career in the opening months of this campaign he did, like the team, tail off towards the end of the season.

He spent his first two years at Molineux as a central midfielder, but in 2018 Nuno Espirito Santo moved him to centre-back, where he has usually played for his country (Saiss is Morocco captain and will lead them to the World Cup this winter). It was an inspired move and Saiss has formed part of one of the Premier League’s best defences in recent seasons, usually alongside Conor Coady and Willy Boly.

He has been a popular figure in the dressing room and, with 206 appearances (making him one of the longest-serving foreign players in Wolves’ history), been a very successful signing having cost just £3 million from Angers.