B B C Sports: Lemina will not play in transfer window – Pereira.

Wolves midfielder Mario Lemina will not play for the club while the January transfer window is open, says boss Vitor Pereira.

Lemina, 31, wants to quit the club and requested not to participate in their 3-0 loss to Newcastle on Wednesday. The Gabon international has subsequently apologised to Pereira and the rest of the playing group, stating that he is “ready to do his best for the team” until a solution is reached. Wolves, 17th in the Premier League, want £5 million for Lemina, who signed from Southampton two years ago. Al-Shabab, a Saudi Pro League club, has wanted to take him on a free transfer, but Wolves will not consider it. Speaking after their 3-1 defeat against Chelsea on Monday, Pereira said: “For me, he is out until the end of the market, I will see if he is my player.

“If he is, it will be an issue for me to address because he is a good player; otherwise, he will leave and it will not be my problem. “I don’t want a player with uncertainties. I cannot play alongside a player who has doubts. I want players to be devoted to the project. “He is training, but his mind is not present since he still wants to move and go. I must be truthful and explain what happened. I’ll wait until the end of the market to see.” The transfer window will end at 23:00 GMT on Monday, February 3, with Wolves meeting Arsenal and Aston Villa before then.

Lemina was club captain at the start of the season, but was relieved of the position by previous manager Gary O’Neil after an argument with West Ham’s Jarrod Bowen following the final whistle in their 2-1 loss at London Stadium. At the time, O’Neil stated that Lemina “would remain part of the squad’s leadership group”. Lemina has only played 31 minutes since Pereira took over as O’Neil’s successor on December 19. “We can all make mistakes in life, and I have,” Pereira said on Friday, after revealing Lemina had apologised. “We must give him the opportunity to demonstrate in action, not via words.

“I believe he spoke from the heart and will try; I’m here to see if he can or not. If he can help, that’s fine; if not, I’d rather go with someone who is devoted. “Mario has quality; he can provide us with physicality in the middle as well as technical quality. It all depends on his mind. I’m hoping he can help us till the conclusion of the season or the end of the month.”

Read more on sportupdates.co.uk