Wolverhampton Wanderers have axed manager Vitor Pereira with the club languishing at the bottom of the Premier League table – and are lining up a surprising possible successor. The decision arrives just weeks after Pereira, 57, was awarded a fresh three-year deal. Saturday’s woeful 3-0 defeat at Fulham proved the final nail in the coffin, leaving Wolves marooned at the foot of the table without a single victory from their opening 10 fixtures.
Pereira rang the changes with nine alterations to his starting XI from the team that crashed out to Chelsea in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday, yet they failed to spark a triumph at Craven Cottage. Wolves battled with 10 men for more than half the match following Emmanuel Agbadou’s 36th-minute dismissal, though they were already trailing 1-0 at that point. Harry Wilson then doubled Ryan Sessegnon’s early strike before a Yerson Mosquera own goal sealed the comprehensive defeat and ended Pereira’s 11-month tenure.
Wolves executive chairman Jeff Shi remarked: “Vitor and his team worked tirelessly for Wolves and helped guide us through a challenging period last season, for which we are grateful.
“Unfortunately, the start to this season has been a disappointment and, despite our strong desire to give the head coach time and matches to find an improvement, we have reached a point where we must make a change. We thank Vitor and his staff for their efforts and wish them the very best for the future.”
And the man he replaced – Gary O’Neil – could be in the frame to return to the job. The Athletic report that the out-of-work 42-year-old could return to Molineux although the unemployed Michael Carrick and Middlesbrough manager Rob Edwards are other contenders.
The trio are among several options being discussed inside the club. Any appointment may not necessarily be made before next weekend’s match against Chelsea although the Wolves hierarchy are keen to secure a new boss imminently.
Appointed in December 2024 as a replacement for O’Neil, Portuguese manager Pereira successfully navigated Wolves to safety last season. However, the departure of star player and top scorer Matheus Cunha, following Manchester United’s activation of his £62.5million release clause, was a devastating blow.
Their only victories this season have been in the Carabao Cup, both on home turf. Wolves triumphed over West Ham 3-2 in the second round before securing a 2-0 win against Everton.
Saturday’s loss at Fulham leaves them a daunting eight points from safety. Even the two 1-1 draws that Pereira managed to scrape together were heartbreaking, with late equalisers conceded away to Tottenham and at home to Brighton on consecutive weekends.
Following last Sunday’s 3-2 defeat at home to newly-promoted Burnley, where the visitors netted a 95th-minute winner, Periera faced off with irate supporters at Molineux. The former Porto, Olympiacos and Fenerbahce boss – notorious for his brief stints at clubs – was granted two more games by the Wolves board, but they’ve now swung the axe and begun the hunt for a replacement.
Their next fixture is an away game against Chelsea in the Premier League on Saturday. Under-21 head coach James Collins and under-18 boss Richard Walker will oversee training while Wolves search for Pereira’s successor.