Speaking exclusively to The Transfer Tavern, former Premier League manager Lawrie Sanchez has suggested that Wolves cutting back on their spending played a part in Nuno Espirito Santo's departure.

Nuno surprised English football when it was announced last month by the club's official website that he would be leaving Molineux after four seasons.

Those four seasons were largely successful, with the 47-year-old taking Wolves from the Championship to the Premier League before guiding the team to two seventh-placed finishes - hence why most were caught so off guard by the announcement.

And Sanchez has put part of that shock exit down to financial reasons. He told TT:

"As I understand it, part of the reason that he left was that there's been a bit of cutting back from the Chinese owners, financially, who have funded that club.

"I think worldwide the Chinese state has pulled back a little bit from football financing. That's part of the reason why [Antonio] Conte left Inter."

It would have made a great storyline seeing Nuno go up against Wolves and his successor Bruno Lage in the Premier League, but that no longer looks like it is going to happen after talks to become the next Crystal Palace manager came to an end earlier this week.

There is, of course, still an opening at Everton, a vacancy that he is currently being linked to, so who knows?