Wolves football chief Matt Hobbs has paid tribute to Joao Moutinho.

The midfielder will leave the club as his contract runs down this month.

Hobbs said: “Joao's going to go down as one of the best players to ever pull on the old gold, in my opinion. He was an integral part of the team the entire time he was here. Our success over the last four or five years, he's been instrumental in. So, he now departs with nothing but thanks from the football club.

“Everything he does is meticulous. He's shown a lot of the younger players what you have to do to look after yourself and have a good career in the game. When he first came to the club, he was a big part of the culture change, because of his work ethic and how he managed himself before and after training. He definitely raised the levels and expectations amongst the players themselves.

“When he came in, we had a huge Portuguese contingent, and he was a hero to a lot of the guys for what he'd achieved in both club and international football. He just had that presence and people wanted to follow what he was he doing. We thank Joao for all he did at Wolves and wish him the best of luck for the future."