N’Golo Kante’s impending departure from Chelsea for Al-Ittihad and the prospect of several colleagues following him to the Middle East has thrust Saudi Arabia’s growing influence in football under the spotlight.

The potential flow of players from the big-spending Stamford Bridge club to the Gulf state has raised eyebrows in recent days amid allegations that the move could be a ploy to help it meet Financial Fair Play requirements.

Here, the PA news agency takes a look recent developments and how the Premier League could be affected.

Why are Chelsea offloading players?

The Blues have spent over £600million on players since American businessman Todd Boehly completed his takeover in May last year, including a £106.8million January swoop for World Cup winner Enzo Fernandez. They also splashed out £52million for RB Leipzig striker Christopher Nkunku earlier this week.

Sales of the likes of Timo Werner and Jorginho have offset that expenditure only minimally and with the club having reported a loss of £121million for the 2021-22 season, Financial Fair Play rules which dictate that clubs can only make losses of £105million over three seasons are an issue.

Which players are reportedly involved?

Kante’s departure to the Gulf state may not be the last from Chelsea. Kalidou Koulibaly, Edouard Mendy, Romelu Lukaku, Hakim Ziyech and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang have also been linked with switches to Saudi clubs.

They are not alone either – Wolves midfielder Ruben Neves is expected to complete a move to Al-Hilal with former Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo’s switch to Al-Nassr in January having established a clear pathway.

Why are so many players heading for Saudi Arabia?

The money on offer may have something to do with it. The Middle East state’s sovereign wealth fund, the Public Investment Fund, took controlling stakes in four Saudi Pro League clubs – Al-Ahli, Al-Ittihad, Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr – earlier this month as part of the wider ‘Vision 2030’ plan to diversify the Saudi economy. The country’s rulers also believe a thriving professional sports scene will help drive up grassroots activity levels in the kingdom.

The Saudis have signalled their intention to mount a bid to host the 2030 World Cup, and raising the standard and profile of the domestic league could prove crucial to that mission. PIF has the financial clout to recruit big names to the cause with Karim Benzema having already agreed to join Al-Ittihad.

It is not the first time an emerging league has adopted similar tactics. Pele, Franz Beckenbauer and Bobby Moore all played in the North American Soccer League at the end of their respective careers, while China has lured a host of top-flight stars to its Super League in recent years.

Public Investment Fund – that name sounds familiar?

It should. PIF holds an 80 per cent stake in Newcastle United, who have invested in excess of £250million in new signings since the Amanda Staveley-led consortium in which it is the major partner completed its buy-out at St James’ Park in October 2021.

The Magpies surged to a fourth-place finish in last season’s Premier League and secured Champions League football for the first time in 20 years to the delight of a fanbase which has been reinvigorated despite concerted criticism over the source of the club’s new-found wealth.

PIF, whose governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan is Newcastle’s chairman, is also a key player in the controversial merger between the LIV Golf series and the PGA and DP World Tours which has prompted fresh accusations of sportswashing.

Why all the fuss about Chelsea?

This is where it gets interesting. Private equity firm Clearlake Capital Group provided around 60 per cent of the funding for Boehly’s £2.5billion takeover and has underwritten much of the investment since; PIF is an investor with Clearlake. Financial experts have suggested such is the size of Clearlake’s portfolio that while some PIF money may form part of its holding in Chelsea, there is no direct link and therefore no risk of breaching Premier League rules which prohibit ownership of two clubs. However, the perception in some quarters is that any existing relationship between the Blues, the sovereign wealth fund and the four domestic clubs it now controls could allow them to sell on players for inflated fees and thereby reduce their FFP burden.

What has been said about the situation?

Former Manchester United and England defender Gary Neville, co-owner of League Two Salford, is unimpressed. Speaking to BBC Sport, Neville said: “The Premier League should put an instant embargo on transfers to Saudi Arabia to ensure the integrity of the game isn’t being damaged. Checks should be made on the appropriateness of the transactions.”

Wolves captain Ruben Neves is close to a £47million move to Saudi Arabian club Al Hilal.

The 26-year-old midfielder has been expected to leave Molineux this summer and is poised to become the latest high-profile player to move to the Middle East, the PA news agency understands.

Barcelona had held a long-term interest in the Portugal international but have not been able to get a deal over the line.

Wolves are now in talks with Al Hilal for Neves, who only had a year left on his contract, with a move – which will be a club-record sale – likely to be completed this week.

Karim Benzema completed a free transfer to Al Ittihad this month and Chelsea midfielder N’Golo Kante is linked with joining him, while Cristiano Ronaldo moved to Al Nassr in December.

A huge offer for Wolves would ease the financial pressures the club will be working under in the transfer window this summer.

They have been under pressure to sell to avoid breaching Premier League spending rules after splashing out £200m this term.

It led to doubts over Julen Lopetegui’s future but the former Real Madrid boss will stay at Molineux having received assurances.

Yet he will lose Neves, who has been central to Wolves’ success since joining from Porto in 2017.

He helped them win the Championship a year later and then to two consecutive seventh-placed finishes in the Premier League.

The club also reached the Europa League quarter-finals in 2020 – where they were knocked out by Lopetegui’s Sevilla – but have struggled to replicate that success and finished 13th last season having been bottom at Christmas.

Neves has made 253 appearances for Wolves in all competitions, scoring 30 goals.

Joao Moutinho and Diego Costa are to leave Wolves when their current contracts expire with Adama Traore still in talks over an extension.

The Premier League club’s sporting director Matt Hobbs has confirmed that 36-year-old Portuguese midfielder Moutinho and Brazil-born Spanish striker Costa, 34, will officially depart at the end of this month.

Hobbs told the club’s official website: “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.

“We thank Joao for all he did at Wolves and wish him the best of luck for the future.”

Moutinho joined the club from Monaco in July 2018 and made 212 appearances for Wanderers.

On former Atletico Madrid and Chelsea frontman Costa, Hobbs added: “It feels the natural time to part ways because he was on a one-year contract. There was some internal conversations and we felt this was right.

“I’ve got no doubt that Diego will get another club off the back of his performances for sure. If a club calls me to ask about the person, he’ll get nothing but praise from me.”

Traore, however, could yet have a future at Molineux with manager Julen Lopetegui keen to keep the 27-year-old and discussions are ongoing.

Hobbs said: “He’s now out of contract, but it doesn’t mean there’s not an opportunity to still come to an agreement, so conversations will be ongoing. He’s probably earned the right to understand what else is out there.

“Sometimes it’s not possible, but we’ll certainly be trying. We hope we can come to an agreement but let’s see what happens over the next few weeks.”

Conor Coady has left Everton and returned to Wolves following his loan spell, with the Toffees having passed up an option to sign the defender on a permanent basis.

The Goodison Park club have also announced that former Wolves defender Ruben Vinagre will return to Sporting Lisbon after an injury-impacted loan spell on Merseyside.

Coady made 25 appearances for Everton this season, including a start in Sunday’s vital 1-0 win over Bournemouth which secured safety, and scored two goals.

Coady, capped 10 times by England, joined the Toffees last August in a deal which included an option to buy, but that option has now expired.

Vinagre made only four appearances in all competitions.

Everton director of football Kevin Thelwell said: “We want to sincerely thank Conor and Ruben for their impeccable professionalism and valuable contributions both on and off the pitch during their time with the club.

“We wish both players the best in their futures.”

Mikel Arteta has challenged Arsenal to improve and show they are the real deal again next season.

The Gunners ended a campaign of obvious progress with a 5-0 thrashing of Wolves on the final day, which meant they finished only five points behind champions Manchester City.

Arsenal had been top of the Premier League for 248 days before a run of two wins in eight fixtures during the closing weeks of the season saw their title quest end on the penultimate weekend.

Finishing as runners-up behind City means Champions League football will return to the Emirates for the first time since 2017 and, while Arteta was delighted to achieve their initial goal this season, he is well aware of the work required to kick on this summer.

“We wanted to bring the club back to the Champions League, that was the main target,” he said.

“That was obviously a big demand in the summer before we did certain things and before we managed to keep some of our players.

“Then the journey started and day by day, you start to have a feeling that the team is moving in the right direction and the energy and spirit is really good. Then you start to generate some belief.

“We didn’t expect to finish where we are. I think it’s the third best record in the club, with the history of the club, the most wins ever.

“It’s a lot but it’s still not enough to win it. We understand where the level is. If we want to be the real deal, we can’t be happy with what we have, and we have to be next season much better.

“I think we have some great foundations, that is true but in sport you have to prove it again.

“You have to be back in the first day of pre-season and look at each other and I don’t want to see any complacency or, ‘we’ve done really well and its OK’.

“We are going to have to be much better. It will be a challenging season but a season with plenty of opportunities and one of those opportunities is to be consistent, to do it again and be better. This is what we have to demand from each other.”

Gabriel Jesus was on target against Wolves with Bukayo Saka, Jakub Kiwior and Granit Xhaka also scoring, the latter netting twice in what is expected to be his final appearance for Arsenal.

Jesus’ second-half header ensured he finished his debut campaign for the Gunners with 11 goals and he is excited about the direction the club are heading.

He told the official club website: “It was good. Unfortunately, we didn’t win a trophy which was our target, but I think we had a good season, very good.

“We are building a good atmosphere from inside and outside, the fans coming with us always supporting, pushing us.

“I am so excited (for next season). I was a little bit unlucky about my injury, I missed a big part of the season but my mentality has always been my fitness and then to help my team, so next my main target is to be fit all season and help my team.”

There remains a large degree of uncertainty for Wolves ahead of next season with boss Julen Lopetegui revealing Joao Moutinho, Adama Traore and Diego Costa could leave on free transfers due to the club’s financial problems.

“This is a problem. You have players that you want to re-sign but you can’t because it is like a new signing in the financial terms,” the Spaniard explained.

“I am not a financial adviser, I am a coach. We will see.

“I know the sporting directors, they have to work very, very hard these five months and they have different targets for the squad but to execute any target, you need to know how much money you have. If not, it is impossible.”

Mikel Arteta remained tight-lipped about the future of Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka but was pleased to see him get the appreciation he deserved after their 5-0 thrashing of Wolves.

Xhaka netted a first-half double in what is expected to be his final appearance for the Gunners with a summer exit to Bayer Leverkusen in the works and left the pitch to a standing ovation in the 75th minute with supporters’ urging him to stay.

It completes a remarkable turnaround for the Swiss international, who saw his relationship with the Emirates crowd reach an all-time low in the winter of 2019 during a home match with Crystal Palace where he chucked his shirt on the floor before subsequently being stripped of the captaincy.

Arteta convinced Xhaka not to leave Arsenal during the following transfer window and his brace on the final-day saw the 30-year-old finish the campaign with nine goals, his best ever tally.

Asked about Xhaka’s impending departure, Arteta responded: “You know that?

“It’s news for me.”

The Gunners boss was more forthcoming about the reception Xhaka received before, during and after the emphatic victory over Wolves.

“Well deserved. He’s had an incredible season,” Arteta said.

“I think one year back I spoke to him and I told him ‘there’s a question mark on you, you have to deliver more, you have to be better, I’m going to challenge you to play here.’

“He went back and I think he started to train the next day. He came back in preseason four kilos less, fit, with this (focused) face and really willing to do it. He’s been exceptional.

“He’s been a key part of the team, the success of the team and I’m so happy everybody is appreciating what he’s done.”

While the final-day clash was not the league title celebration Arsenals fans would have hoped for back in April, when they held an eight-point lead over champions Manchester City, Arteta’s side still concluded their campaign in front of a party atmosphere.

After Xhaka’s quickfire double, Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Jesus and Jakub Kiwior netted to earn the hosts a 26th league win of the campaign.

When Arteta addressed the packed Emirates crowd after full-time, he was repeatedly serenaded and the Spaniard expressed his delight at finishing on a good note.

He added: “It was really nice the way they transmitted their love and support to the team, to every player, and obviously to me as well.

“It’s been a really emotional year and a very special season. The team and our people deserved to end it in a good way so I’m really happy.

“It was one of my big dreams to connect again with the soul of this football club – that’s our people. We have done that and there’s no discussion about it. That makes me really proud and grateful to be part of that journey together.

“We want to deliver together success and the destination has to be trophies and success for this club, but we have to enjoy the journey together and especially the company.

“I said it especially there because we have special people in this club, an incredible group of players and an amazing support.

“That has to be enjoyed because at the end it’s about winning or not winning the margin, but you cannot underestimate those other things. I think if we don’t do it then we will regret it.”

It proved a memorable finish for Arsenal, but not for Wolves or their manager Julen Lopetegui.

Lopetegui’s future is uncertain given the financial troubles of the Molineux club and he warned another “miracle” is not guaranteed next season.

“We have lost against one of the best teams in the Premier League but the way we have lost, I am not happy,” he said.

“I don’t want to forgot that the second part of season the team has made has been fantastic, being out of relegation (zone) three matches before end.

“That is why I highlight the merit of the players. Maybe it (survival) has been a little miracle and we have to learn for the future.

“Maybe one miracle is possible, two no. That is why you have to learn for the future to be able to improve and do our hard work.”

Granit Xhaka marked his farewell appearance for Arsenal with a brace to help the Premier League runners-up finish their fine campaign with a 5-0 thrashing of Wolves.

Xhaka is set to depart the Emirates this summer to join Bayer Leverkusen and signed off a rollercoaster seven years in north London on a high with a first-half double, although he did later miss a great chance for his hat-trick.

It failed to spoil the perfect goodbye for the previously much-maligned former Arsenal captain with Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Jesus and Jakub Kiwior also on target to ensure Mikel Arteta’s men regrouped from their title disappointment at Nottingham Forest last weekend to secure a 26th league win of the season.

While Xhaka’s impending departure had yet to be confirmed, the huge cheer that greeted his name before kick off played into the narrative this was his final Arsenal outing.

It was the latest evidence of his own remarkable turnaround with the Emirates crowd, who he had clashed with so memorable in the winter of 2019 during a match with Crystal Palace – an incident that saw him stripped of the captaincy and on the verge of leaving before Arteta’s intervention.

Xhaka immediately set about living up to his lead role with a strong tackle on Matheus Nunes a matter of seconds into the contest.

While Nunes saw a fierce effort headed away by Gabriel Jesus during the opening exchanges, it did not take long for Arsenal and their number 34 to open the scoring after 11 minutes.

Unorthodox right-back Thomas Partey passed out wide to Jesus and his whipped cross was headed home by Xhaka from close range to begin his farewell in style.

After a group celebration with his team-mates, the Swiss international held his hands out in a thank you gesture to the home fans in the Clock End.

Three minutes later and Xhaka made it 2-0 to Arsenal.

Saka dribbled past Hugo Bueno before Martin Odegaard flicked on his pass, which Wolves captain Max Kilman sliced into the path of Xhaka, who side-footed beyond Jose Sa from six yards.

Xhaka celebrated his ninth goal of the season, the best tally of his career, by running over to embrace injured midfielder Mohamed Elneny, the only player still at the club from when he joined in 2016.

Arsenal were not ready to take their foot off the gas and Arteta watched his side move into a three-goal lead in the 27th-minute.

Odegaard and Leandro Trossard exchanged passes before the latter found Saka, who checked back inside Kilman brilliantly and curled into the corner to mark his new contract with a 15th goal this season.

It should have been 4-0 soon after.

A one-two between Saka and Odegaard on the right saw the goalscorer scuff an effort across the face of goal, but Xhaka fluffed his lines from 10 yards and sliced wide with a hat-trick at his mercy.

Wolves were able to avoid any further damage before half-time and Julen Lopetegui introduced Ruben Neves and Rayan Ait-Nouri but it failed to stem the tide.

Partey had the ball in the net for Arsenal in the 52nd minute but his joy was short-lived with the goal ruled out after Ben White had barged into Wolves goalkeeper Sa.

The Gunners faithful did not have to wait too much longer for the fourth goal.

Arsenal hurt the visitors down the left this time with Trossard able to chip in for Jesus to power home a header at the back post in the 58th minute.

All that was left was Xhaka’s farewell with the midfielder substituted to a standing ovation in the 75th minute, which was followed with chants urging him to stay.

Kiwior grabbed a fifth with 12 minutes left when he lashed home from a corner that Sa should have saved before Arsenal’s season ended to the backdrop of a partisan atmosphere at a sun-soaked Emirates with the home fans hoping this is just the beginning for Arteta’s young team.

Wolves boss Julen Lopetegui insists it is unfair to label Arsenal as bottlers after their title challenge faltered.

The Gunners will finish second behind Manchester City having topped the table for the majority of the season.

They held an eight-point lead in March but dropped crucial points against Liverpool, West Ham and Southampton in the run-in before losing 4-1 at City in April.

Arsenal’s defeats to Brighton and Nottingham Forest handed City a third straight title but, ahead of Wolves’ trip to the Emirates for Sunday’s Premier League finale, Lopetegui feels the Gunners do not deserve criticism for coming second.

“Of course (they don’t). It’s an incredible league and in the end they lost to Manchester City in one of the last matches,” he said.

“They have done fantastic work – you only have to look at the teams that finished below them, incredible teams.

“So I praise Mikel (Arteta) for his fantastic work. I remember he had big problems when he arrived two years ago but they showed faith and belief in him and now they are collecting the rewards.

“He’s improved the team and changed a lot of players and put a lot of quality on the pitch and produced fantastic answers.

“Now they have an incredible project in front of them.

“That’s the merit of Mikel – fantastic work. In the same way, it highlights the merit of the club and the sporting director because he wouldn’t be able to do what he’s done without the belief in him.

“In football to believe in the mid term or long term is very difficult.

“It’s generally always short term. I think they are reaping the rewards for that belief and I’m happy for them because the teams that show patience and work a lot for the future deserve to have success.”

Lopetegui remains in talks with Wolves over his future having guided them to mid-table safety. He is looking for clarification on the amount of backing he will receive in the summer with financial fair play restricting the club’s spending power.

He wants to revamp the squad with several expected to leave including Ruben Neves and the out-of-contract Joao Moutinho and Adama Traore but Lopetegui suggested Raul Jimenez still has a Wolves future.

“Raul has another year on his contract with us and for me it’s not his last match with us. He’s our player,” he said.

“Raul is our player and he’s under contract. I hope he continues with us.”

Julen Lopetegui admits the uncertainly surrounding his future cannot be allowed to drag on.

The former Real Madrid manager’s long-term future at Molineux has been in the spotlight.

Financial fair play regulations will impact the club’s spending power this summer and Lopetegui has previously said he only discovered the constraints last week.

He has been calling for investment since securing Premier League safety and the manager will continue to speak to chairman Jeff Shi about what backing he will receive – but knows there needs to be a quick resolution.

He said: “I hope – we will see.

“I want to solve the problems. Maybe me or the club aren’t able to solve them 100 per cent, but I think we have to try, for our fans, for our club, for our history and for our future.

“If we want to be demanding in the future we have to demand now with ourselves and with this summer.

“I have a contract and I’ve been here for six months. I’m very happy here and I hope I can continue being happy here.

“But we have a problem and we must be honest and look each other in the eyes to try to solve the problems.

“Maybe not 100 per cent, but maybe 80 per cent, who knows?

“This is all. About my future, I have a contract and we will see what is going to happen, This is football, we don’t know.

“We have to talk, it’s not about one or two days. We have to talk about the solution and the future to be able to have a squad ready to compete again.

“This year has been a wake-up call. We have to learn why it has happened and to overcome and make our homework this summer. It’s not about one or two days. We need a clear picture.

“It’s important to have the squad ready. Maybe not 100 per cent of players but maybe 90 per cent. For me it’s very important, to have the squad ready to start working with us on July 1.”

Wolves to go Arsenal for Sunday’s Premier League finale and Joao Moutinho will not feature and is likely to have played his last game for the club as he is out of contract in the summer.

Sasa Kalajdzic (knee) is out while Lopetegui himself is banned from the touchline for collecting four yellow cards.

He added: “On Sunday we have an important match because it’s the last of the season. They have been very close to winning the Premier League and will want to make a good match in front of their fans. We have to be ready to compete with them.”

Boss Julen Lopetegui will continue talks with Wolves about his future.

Lopetegui’s long-term future at Molineux has been in the spotlight with uncertainty about his position.

Financial fair play regulations will impact the club’s spending power this summer and Lopetegui has previously said he only discovered the constraints last week.

He has been calling for investment since securing Premier League safety and the manager will continue to speak to chairman Jeff Shi about what backing he will receive.

He said: “We will see, we have to discuss with the chairman and owners. The most important thing is what the solution is going to be. When you have a problem you have to solve the problem.

“This is all. About my future, I have a contract and we will see what is going to happen, This is football, we don’t know.

“We have to talk, it’s not about one or two days. We have to talk about the solution and the future to be able to have a squad ready to compete again.

“This year has been a wake-up call. We have to learn why it has happened and to overcome and make our homework this summer. It’s not about one or two days. We need a clear picture.

“It’s important to have the squad ready. Maybe not 100 per cent of players but maybe 90 per cent. For me it’s very important, to have the squad ready to start working with us on July 1.”

Wolves to go Arsenal for Sunday’s Premier League finale and Joao Moutinho will not feature and is likely to have played his last game for the club as he is out of contract in the summer.

Sasa Kalajdzic (knee) is out while Lopetegui himself is banned from the touchline for collecting four yellow cards.

He added: “On Sunday we have an important match because it’s the last of the season. They have been very close to winning the Premier League and will want to make a good match in front of their fans. We have to be ready to compete with them.”

Wolves boss Julen Lopetegui wants clarification on the club’s transfer plans this summer amid doubts about his future at the club beyond the end of the season.

The Spaniard succeeded Bruno Lage when Wolves were bottom of the Premier League table in November and has overseen a remarkable turnaround in fortunes as they are safe with one game of the campaign to go.

Lopetegui insists he does not want to break the bank as he seeks to consolidate Wolves’ position next term, but there are Financial Fair Play concerns to consider over the next few months.

“When I came here, I came very happy with a big commitment, in a very hard situation for the club,” he told reporters.

“All of us put everything into these months, always thinking, if we are able to save the team, we will be able to dream for different things. But one thing is the dream, another is the reality.

“I have to balance what the real situation is for us. I am not asking for incredible signings. I am thinking of signing good players, young players, maybe Championship players, I don’t know.

“I am not thinking we are going to sign from Real Madrid or Barcelona, no. I am aware of our reality.”

While there is uncertainty surrounding Lopetegui, the former Spain and Real Madrid coach, who has two years left to run on his deal, says he still plans to be at Wolves next season.

“I have a contract here,” he added. “I am a coach for next year here now. But we will see what will happen because this is football.

“I have a responsibility here and I want to be responsible and know the final picture and I am going to take my opinion for the chairman.”

Boss Sean Dyche called for one final push from Everton after they snatched a dramatic point in their fight for survival.

Yerry Mina’s last-gasp leveller earned a 1-1 draw at Wolves as the Toffees continued to cling to their Premier League status.

The equaliser, in the ninth minute of stoppage time, cancelled out Hwang Hee-chan’s first-half opener.

But if Leeds beat West Ham on Sunday, they will move above the Toffees and push them into the relegation zone – Leicester can also overhaul them with victory at Newcastle on Monday.

Everton – two points above the drop zone – host Bournemouth on the final day of the Premier League season but face a nervous wait to see if they will start the game in the bottom three.

“I was really pleased with the mentality of the players. There’s no excuses from me, no excuses from them,” said Dyche, who confirmed Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Nathan Patterson suffered hamstring injuries.

“This is the challenge right in front of us. I told them that at half-time. It’s not about shapes and tactics, it’s about mentality.

“I’m really pleased for them, we all got the reward for putting in a proper shift and trying and never losing the belief we could score.

“We need it for next week, quite obviously, but it’s a mentality which has grown and I’m very pleased with that side. It shows a strong sign of what the group has become.

“There was a lot of noise around the club (when Dyche arrived in January) and we calmed that a little bit. There was a lot of noise about the team, we missed some important players – one being Dom so there was a lot of noise about him.

“There have been a lot of challenges, I’m not bothered about making excuses. So what can we do? It wasn’t about ‘woe is us’ it was about ‘what can we do to affect this game?'”

Everton started well with Calvert-Lewin twice going close before getting caught on the break for the opener after 34 minutes.

Abdoulaye Doucoure’s pass was seized on by Adama Traore who raced 70 yards, brushing off Amadou Onana’s challenge and forcing Jordan Pickford into a smart save – only for Hwang to gobble up the rebound.

Calvert-Lewin, who had been battling a groin problem, then limped off in stoppage time to add to Everton’s problems.

From then, it looked like curtains at Molineux as the Toffees struggled to create meaningful chances – with Alex Iwobi firing wide and Daniel Bentley saving from Demarai Gray.

Wolves had a degree of control and Pickford needed to save from Matheus Nunes as the game entered nine minutes of stoppage time.

Everton threw men forward and it eventually paid off in the final seconds.

Gray’s cross was kept alive by James Tarkowski as he challenged Bentley and Michael Keane knocked it back for Mina to stab in from five yards.

“Yes, a lot (of injury time). It was the first time I have seen it in the Premier League,” said Wolves boss Julen Lopetegui, who has guided the team to a mid-table finish.

“It’s done, it was a pity. Nine minutes is a lot but they scored the goal in the time, we have to defend better.

“It’s football, we won at Everton in the last minute and today we lost two points. Maybe we deserved to win more here than there. It wasn’t easy to play this kind of match, against a team who are fighting to survive. It’s a final for them.”

Striker Raul Jimenez was denied a possible farewell appearance as an unused substitute before walking down the tunnel before full-time.

Lopetegui added: “He was not happy but I always try to be honest with the players. You can’t make all the things perfect as a coach. You have to take the emotion out of the situation.”

Yerry Mina’s last-gasp leveller at Wolves earned Everton a priceless point in their fight for Premier League survival.

The defender struck with seconds left to grab a 1-1 draw to give the Toffees hope after Hwang Hee-chan had given Wolves a first-half lead.

Their 69-year stay in the top flight remains in doubt and Sean Dyche’s side could still find themselves in the drop zone before next week’s finale.

Leeds go to West Ham on Sunday before Leicester’s trip to Newcastle on Monday and victory for both would lift them above Everton.

As it is, they sit two points above the Premier League’s bottom three ahead of the visit of Bournemouth next Sunday.

Dyche had told his players to ignore the noise but they struggled for long spells and again lost Dominic Calvert-Lewin to injury.

It will spawn a nervous Goodison Park, which saw its last relegation from the top flight in 1951.

Wolves’ own season of struggle – they were bottom at Christmas – will ultimately end in mid-table comfort, mainly thanks to what stands as seven home wins from 10 games since the turn of the year.

Julen Lopetegui had stressed the importance of the Premier League’s integrity, insisting his team would not roll over with matters at the bottom to be settled.

It was, though, understandable that Everton made the better start as Calvert-Lewin brushed the side-netting before nodding Alex Iwobi’s cross over.

The Toffees needed that urgency and, against a Wolves side containing six changes, they were the aggressors, although they lost Nathan Patterson to injury after 29 minutes.

Mina headed over after Daniel Bentley missed a corner and Everton were on top only to be caught on the break for the opener after 34 minutes.

The visitors were pressing on the edge of Wolves’ box but Abdoulaye Doucoure’s loose pass fell to Adama Traore who turned on the afterburners.

The forward launched into an unstoppable 70-yard dash, brushing off Amadou Onana, and when his shot was saved by Jordan Pickford, Hwang stroked in the rebound.

It was harsh on Everton but it got worse in first-half stoppage time when Calvert-Lewin, who came off in last week’s defeat to Manchester City with a groin problem, limped off.

Demarai Gray replaced him but there was no focal point and any second-half response was limited. Gray highlighted their lack of presence up front when his wicked cross through the six-yard box was missed by everyone.

Wolves had slowly gained control and Pablo Sarabia curled wide before Daniel Podence volleyed off target.

A wayward Iwobi strike was all Everton could muster until Bentley pushed Gray’s drive behind with 21 minutes left but, as time began to run out, there were few signs of a recovery.

Iwobi’s shot deflected wide and the Toffees needed Pickford to deny Matheus Nunes late on.

But they snatched an unlikely point in the ninth minute of stoppage time when Mina bundled in from close range following Michael Keane’s knockback.

Wolves boss Julen Lopetegui admitted that a lot has changed since the last time his side played against Everton.

They host the relegation-threatened Toffees at Molineux, with Sean Dyche’s team lingering above the drop zone in 17th.

Saturday’s clash is the reverse fixture of Lopetegui’s first game in charge of Wolves where they edged to victory on Boxing Day after substitute Rayan Ait-Nouri scored in stoppage time.

The goal handed Wolves a vital win to lift them off the foot of the table and Lopetegui believes a lot has changed since then.

“It seems a lot of years ago now, but it was only months,” he told a pre-match press conference.

“It was my first match in the Premier League and it was important. Being honest, we didn’t deserve to win this match, but in the end, we got what was important for us, which was to believe more.

“It was very difficult moment (at the start of his tenure) and we achieved three important points at that moment. It was a tough match and it’s going to be the same this Saturday, for sure.

“It was difficult to imagine we would be in the situation we are in now when we last played Everton, but it was our aim.

“We tried to achieve points and change things, knowing the difficulty and the quality of the level of the Premier League.

“Fortunately, we manged to achieve our aim and we are happy for this.

“But when you go and accept one new challenge, you are not thinking about the end of the challenge, you are only thinking of the next step, the next match and that’s the only way to build a new reality, and that’s what we tried to do.”

Wolves are currently 13th in the table with two games to go, starting with Everton before finishing the season at the Emirates against Arsenal.

They secured Premier League safety earlier in the month and Lopetegui knew the team would be safe when faced with their responses after defeats.

“Maybe after each defeat and with the answer of the players in the next day after a defeat. For me, they were very key moments and very important moments,” he added.

“To see them to come here into work [after a defeat] with big commitment and with a big belief, that was important. How we would manage and drive out of those bad moments were key for our achievement.”