They didn't finish 13th in the Premier League last season?
They finished seventh, while juggling getting to the EL qf's.
They've been hit this year, yes, but they haven't played in the EL this season because Arsenal won the FA Cup so they took that spot, meaning Wolves didn't qualify.
The Europa League does have money in it. But not enough to really push on unless you win it and get to the Champions League.
But, that's not the argument here. The argument is, that the club - through Brands and Carlo - have said that the target is Europe. So clearly, and the club will know more than you on this, they know that any qualification for Europe will be helpful.
It's not even just about money. Getting Europe enables you to have a bigger squad, which if managed correctly, means you actually can attract better players. We got James and Allan despite finishing 12th. If we can get 6th or 7th and a Europa League place, we can get players of similar quality easily, because we have the games to go around. And then, it becomes about being able to push on because you have that squad depth - again, if managed correctly.
It also helps with FFP because you can add another source of revenue.
It's not the end goal, but right now, Europe of some sort is the target, it's the next step. So, they have to get that this season, or it's considered a failiure.