Wolves are preparing to get a deal for Vitor Pereira over the line after sacking Gary O’Neil.
O’Neil was sacked after losing to Ipswich Town, bringing his 16-month stay at Molineux to a close.
Wolves identified five candidates to replace O’Neil however, it’s a different figure who is now emerging as the favourite.
Vitor Pereira is in talks with Wolves about making the move from Al-Shabab to the Premier League, where he currently manages Daniel Podence.
FC Porto's midfielder Joao Moutinho (L) and coach Vitor Pereira (R) attend a press conference after a training sesion at the Dragao Stadium in Por...
Photo credit should read MIGUEL RIOPA/AFP/GettyImages
Vitor Pereira is an admirer of Joao Moutinho
While Pereira is clued up on what Podence has to offer, the Portuguese isn’t the only former Wolf that the coach has worked with.
At Flamengo, the 56-year-old oversaw Joao Gomes’ transfer to Molineux, and his association with Wolves doesn’t end there.
Earlier in his career, Pereira managed Joao Moutinho at Porto, whom he won two league titles with before the midfielder moved on to the Midlands.
In 2023, the coach appeared on Portuguese channel Canal 11, where he described Moutinho as being one of ‘the best’ players he’s coached.
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“What I really like are smart players,” Pereira said when prompted to name the best players he’d worked with.
“Joao Moutinho, Lucho [Gonzalez], players like that. The players who can become a football coach, I mean, Lucho already did, Moutinho will be a coach unless he doesn’t want to be.”
The manager then went on to describe what makes players of Moutinho’s profile so special, something that Wolves fans will be familiar with.
“There are many more [good players]. I don’t want to be talking, otherwise I’ll leave the others. But the players, fundamentally for me, talk about technique and strength. For me, that’s what decides the best.”
Who can be Wolves’ next Moutinho?
Having parted ways with Ruben Neves and Moutinho in 2023, Wolves lost the brains of their squad, bidding farewell to two players who were the heartbeat of prior success.
While there’s no clear indicator of who is capable of acting in the roles as the duo did, Pereira will soon realise who can benefit him most in the current Wolves squad.
There are plenty of smart players at Wolves, it’s unlocking their full potential that is the hard part, with several star talents standing out above the rest.
Given what Pereira clearly values in a player, it will be fascinating to see who rises to the top in the possible new manager’s pecking order.
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