Wolverhampton Wanderers in Talks with Vitor Pereira to Succeed Gary O’Neil

Vitor Pereira, currently managing Al-Shabab in Saudi Arabia, is reportedly in discussions with Wolverhampton Wanderers to assume the head coach role. This follows the dismissal of Gary O’Neil by the club on Sunday. The Premier League team, currently facing challenges, is seeking a prompt appointment. The compensation required to secure Pereira, a former manager of Porto and Olympiakos, is estimated at approximately £800,000, an amount not considered an impediment. Wolverhampton Wanderers have explored various candidates and contacted other potential successors, such as former West Ham and Manchester United manager David Moyes. However, according to club sources speaking to BBC Sport, Pereira is considered the leading candidate for the position. Pereira assumed leadership at Al Shabab in February. Under his guidance, the team concluded the previous Saudi Pro League season in eighth place. They are presently positioned sixth, having secured seven victories in 13 matches. The 56-year-old Portuguese coach achieved two Primeira Liga titles with Porto in 2012 and 2013, in addition to the Greek Super League with Olympiakos in 2015. The Wolverhampton Wanderers squad is scheduled to resume training on Tuesday, and Pereira potentially could be in charge by that time. His inaugural match would be Sunday’s away fixture against Leicester, provided negotiations proceed as anticipated. O’Neil’s dismissal occurred on Sunday morning, subsequent to Saturday’s 2-1 home loss to Ipswich. This result placed the team second from the bottom of the league table, four points away from a safe position. His entire backroom staff, comprising Tim Jenkins, Shaun Derry, Ian Burchnall, Neil Cutler, and Woody Dewar, has also departed. Wolves chairman Jeff Shi issued a statement, saying: “We’re very grateful to Gary for all of his effort, dedication and hard work during his time at the club, and we wish him and his team the best of luck for the future.” The 41-year-old’s departure takes place merely three days after Chairman Shi had affirmed the club’s “united” support for O’Neil, following Monday’s 2-1 loss against West Ham. The defeat on Saturday marked their eleventh loss in 16 Premier League matches this season, with the team having secured only two victories in the top division. O’Neil took over from Julen Lopetegui just four days before the start of the 2023-24 season, a period during which Wolves subsequently finished 14th. Wolverhampton Wanderers commenced the current season with a poor performance, recording seven losses and one draw in their initial eight league fixtures. A subsequent sequence of four undefeated matches, featuring consecutive victories against Southampton and Fulham, indicated a potential turnaround in their fortunes. However, the team then suffered defeats against Bournemouth, followed by a significant loss to Everton, preceding further defeats by West Ham and Ipswich. Furthermore, their defensive performance has been problematic, with a league-high 40 goals conceded and two or more goals allowed in 13 of their 16 games. During Saturday’s match, they fell behind due to an own goal from Matt Doherty. Despite Matheus Cunha’s equalizer, they ultimately succumbed to Jack Taylor’s header in the 93rd minute. Moreover, the Molineux-based club has faced challenges with off-field incidents, including Mario Lemina being relieved of the captaincy following an altercation with West Ham United’s Jarrod Bowen on Monday. On Saturday, Rayan Ait-Nouri received a second yellow card and was sent off in the tunnel after an altercation with Wes Burns. Concurrently, Cunha engaged in a confrontation with Ipswich’s security personnel, pushing one and removing his glasses, in addition to an incident involving striker Liam Delap. Following the defeat, O’Neil stated that he had “never had such a struggle” in coaching a group of players. Before his tenure at Wolverhampton Wanderers, O’Neil spent a year at Bournemouth during the 2022-23 season, where he contributed to the south coast club avoiding relegation. He was subsequently dismissed and succeeded by Andoni Iraola.