Wolverhampton Wanderers have namedVitor Pereira as their new head coach. The 56-year-old Portuguese tactician joins Wolves after 10 months at Saudi Pro League outfit Al Shabab.
Pereira will take charge of training for the first time on Thursday as preparations begin for his debut match against Leicester City on Sunday.
Chairman Jeff Shi said (via theWolves website): “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 hasachieved success across different leagues and will bring a new approach to the testahead.
“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.”
The appointment follows the sacking of Gary O’Neil, who was dismissed last Sunday after Wolves suffered a 2-1 loss to Ipswich Town the day before.
It was their 11th loss of the 2024/25 season, leaving them languishing in 19th place in the Premier League, four points adrift of safety.
Pereira leaves Al Shabab in sixth place in the Saudi Pro League with seven wins from 13 matches this season.
Despite the challenges at Wolves, Pereira brings a wealth of experience and a proven track record. Fluent in multiple languages, including English, he has a long managerial career.
Pereira won back-to-back Portuguese league titles with Porto in 2012 and 2013, followed by a league and cup double with Greek giants Olympiacos in 2015. He also clinched the Chinese Super League crown with Shanghai SIPG in 2018.
His name surfaced in English football circles in 2022 as a candidate for the Everton managerial role, but fan backlash ultimately led to Frank Lampard’s appointment instead.
Since joining Al Shabab in February, Pereira guided the Saudi side to an eighth-place finish last season. Wolves supporters will hope that Pereira’s experience and tactical nous can spark a revival for the club. They will be buzzing to have their man in place early.