Wolverhampton Wanderers have confirmed the appointment of Vitor Pereira as their new head coach on an 18-month contract, following the sack of Gary O’Neil.
The 56-year-old Portuguese manager joins from Saudi Pro League side Al Shabab as Wolves face the daunting task of avoiding relegation from the Premier League.
Pereira, an experienced and well-traveled coach, previously came close to managing Everton in 2022 and boasts an impressive résumé that includes two Primeira Liga titles with Porto and a Greek Super League crown with Olympiakos. Wolves reportedly paid €1 million ($1 million) to secure his services.
In a statement, Wolves chairman Jeff Shi expressed confidence in Pereira’s ability to turn the season around.
“We are delighted to welcome Vitor Pereira to Wolves as the new head coach of our men’s first team. Vitor is a highly respected and experienced coach who has achieved success across different leagues and will bring a new approach to the test ahead.
“This is a challenging moment for the club, and we want to thank Vitor for taking on this responsibility. We have full confidence in his ability to guide us back on track, alongside the players and staff, and the entire club will be united in supporting him to achieve success.”
Pereira conducted his first training session on Thursday and will take charge of Wolves’ crucial match against fellow relegation candidates Leicester City on Sunday.
Wolves currently sit 19th in the Premier League with nine points from 16 games, following a 2-1 home defeat to Ipswich Town—their fourth consecutive loss—that spelt the end of O’Neil’s tenure.
Sunday’s clash with Leicester, who are just five points above Wolves in the standings, represents an immediate opportunity for Pereira to begin steering the team out of the relegation zone and secure their Premier League survival.
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