Wolverhampton Wanderers sporting director Kevin Thelwell has suggested that Leander Dendoncker may need time to gain full fitness at Molineux.

The newly-promoted Premier League outfit secured a loan deal for Dendoncker during the final hours of the transfer window, but the Belgium international is yet to make his debut for the club.

The 23-year-old could potentially feature against Sheffield Wednesday in the EFL Cup, but Thelwell has indicated that patience could be required with the versatile player after part of the summer was spent representing his country at the World Cup.

Thelwell told the Express & Star: "He went to the World Cup but even though they'd have been training every day, they will have been ticking over as opposed to doing physical development.

"It might take him a little while longer to get up to the same physical level as the others, but from what we've seen we think we've got a player who will help us in due course – once he's settled in we think he's really going to strengthen the group."

Wolves will sign Dendoncker on a permanent deal from Anderlecht once his loan agreement ends at the end of the campaign.