Leander Dendoncker insists Wolves need time to evolve during their season of transition.

Nuno Espirito Santo’s side are 14th after one win in their last 10 Premier League games following Sunday’s 0-0 draw with Leicester.

The club sold Matt Doherty and Diogo Jota to Tottenham and Liverpool respectively in the summer while Raul Jimenez suffered a fractured skull in November and Jonny only returned on Sunday after seven months out with a knee injury.

Wolves finished seventh in the last two seasons and reached the Europa League quarter-finals last term but Dendoncker believes changes within the squad means this year was never going to be the same.

He said: “Exactly, when players leave it’s not easy to replace them because they are used to playing in the way we play. When new players come it always takes some time to adapt. It’s always difficult.

“We have had some injuries – and we have (Daniel) Podence and (Willy) Boly injured now – but we have Jonny back which is a huge one for us because he’s so important to the style we play.

“We are evolving, we are coming back to where we want to be – step-by-step – the season is long and we have to keep going this way, work hard in training and everything will be OK.”

Wolves host Southampton in the FA Cup fifth round on Thursday – before travelling to St Mary’s in the league on Sunday.

They have four points from their last two games after beating Arsenal and the stalemate with Leicester and Dendoncker wants to use it as a platform.

“It’s been against two really good teams, we know the schedule we have is a tight one – going to Southampton in the next Premier League game. They are a very good side,” said the Belgium international.

“Four points out of six against these two teams is something positive. We have to keep in mind the game we played on Sunday, we created some good chances. We have to make sure it goes in and we are just a little bit sharper in front of goal.”