Championship leaders Wolverhampton Wanderers have stressed that they have complied with the FA and EFL regulations amid concerns raised over their ownership structure. The west Midlands side have come for criticism from several other clubs around them owing to their vast sums spent on players and wages during the ongoing campaign.

Super-agent Jorge Mendes was influential in convincing Fosun International to take over the Wolves during the summer of 2016, and his activities therein have brought plenty of scrutiny. The Portuguese lured manager Nuno Espirito to the Championship outfit during the summer, and the club have since pursued the likes of Diogo Jota and Ruben Neves, both of whom are representative by Mendes himself.

The EFL personally held a meeting with the Wolves to discuss the issue on Thursday, and the club have now released a statement to deny any wrongdoing on their website, the statement read: "We are very clear on FA and EFL regulations and always comply with them explicitly. We welcome any form of communication with the EFL to reiterate our position, and we fully anticipate the release of a further EFL statement in support of Wolves and the club's operations to bring a prompt resolution to this matter."

Wolves had a minor stumble which saw them pick up just two points from three matches, but they have since returning to winning ways with a comfortable 3-0 triumph over Leeds United in midweek. As a result, the club hold a six-point gap to second-placed Cardiff City, while they are a further four points ahead of arch-rivals Aston Villa, whom they face this weekend.

The Villains have been one of the most in-form teams in the division since the turn of the year, and Wolves are likely to face a stiff challenge in the cross-town derby. After the Villa game, the table-toppers face Reading and Burton Albion before they head into a two-week international break.