They made hard work of it, but a late resurgence from Stoke City has assured their place in the second tier for next season, following a tumultuous season in the Potteries.
Steven Schumacher’s side have claimed vital victories over Plymouth Argyle and Southampton in the past two weeks to ease their relegation fears, with attention soon to be turning to plans for another season in the Championship.
In a campaign that has had very little to shout about, the form of Ki-Jana Hoever has once again been one of the brightest things to come out of the bet365 Stadium, with the Wolves loanee regularly showcasing his bountiful abilities on the right side.
This season has marked the 22-year-old’s second stint with City, having joined the club for the second-half of the previous campaign, but any hopes of a third return next season are surely off the cards once the season comes to a close.
Ki-Jana Hoever excels for Stoke City amid Championship relegation battle
In a season that started with Alex Neil in charge and ended with Schumacher at the helm, Stoke have struggled to find any sort of form at all throughout 23/24, with attention turning towards Championship safety rather than any loftier ambitions.
A run of just two wins in 17 league matches either side of Christmas set the tone for the remaining fixtures, with the Potters briefly dropping into the relegation places in the second tier before their recent revival.
Hoever’s performances throughout the season have belied a player who is playing in a struggling side, with his boundless energy on the right side of defence contributing to most things City have done well going forward.
The Wolves loanee has stepped up exactly when his side needed it the most as well, with three goals in his last six matches helping to contribute seven points towards their overall tally; and secure safety with a match to play.
After netting a late settler in a 2-0 victory over Hull City on Good Friday, the Dutchman produced a moment of class on Easter Monday to earn his side a vital point against relegation rivals Huddersfield Town.
Picking the ball up on the right-hand side of the penalty area, the defender waltzed infield to make himself an angle, before unleashing a venomous strike into the top corner of the net, and sending the home crowd into delirium.
Those forward forays have been something of a regular occurrence during his time in red and white, with his ability to beat a man as well as a solid end product constantly providing a threat in the final third, just as Plymouth Argyle found to their detriment when he opened the scoring in a 3-0 victory over the Pilgrims.
That sort of ability is worthy of being displayed on a greater stage, rather than fending off relegation to League One, and next season it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Hoever playing for a team competing towards the top of the Championship instead.
Ki-Jana Hoever Wolverhampton Wanderers contract information
After making the move to Molineux from Liverpool in 2020, Hoever signed a five-year deal with Wolves as an 18-year-old, although he has still only made 25 appearances for the club in all competitions.
The defender is obviously still highly-rated by his parent club though, with a one-year extension to his deal signed last summer before making the return to Stoke, meaning his current contract will elapse in the summer of 2026.
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