Vitor Pereira has been a revelation at Wolves – and legend Steve Bull has very high hopes for next season.
Vitor Pereira came to the club in December 2024, succeeding Gary O’Neil, who was finally relieved of his duties after weeks of pressure.
Wolves were in a world of trouble, and just couldn’t keep the ball out of their net.
O’Neil had to go, and Fosun were faced with a very difficult decision regarding who to replace him with.
The likes of Graham Potter, David Moyes, Sergio Conceicao and Niko Kovac were all considered, but ultimately none of them wanted the job.
Pereira was up for the challenge though, and it has proven to be a superb appointment.
He has kept Wolves up with ease, and changed the whole picture at the club in the process.
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Fans are now hugely optimistic that Pereira can bring back the good times – and Steve Bull is backing him to do just that.
Steve Bull thinks Wolves are capable of a top seven finish next season
Photo by Jack Thomas - WWFC/Wolves via Getty Images
Photo by Jack Thomas – WWFC/Wolves via Getty Images
Wolves can finish anywhere from 13th to 17th at the end of the current season.
But expectations for next term will be fairly higher considering what Pereira has achieved so far at Molineux.
That said, he will need a good level of backing from Fosun – and fans have previously questioned the owners regarding that with other managers. Fosun operate with a self-sustaining model, so that can make it difficult for a club to kick on.
Club legend Steve Bull has been blown away by what he’s seen over the last few months, and has made an ambitious suggestion about Wolves for next season.
He reckons a top seven finish would not be beyond Wolves if the club have a productive summer.
He said in a new interview with Portuguese outlet Zero Zero: “Our team is doing very well and we don’t worry about anyone else. We have to remember one thing: where were we at Christmas time?
“We were down there and we were going downstairs. And it wasn’t just a matter of football, because being in the Premier League influences people’s businesses and lives. If we play in the Championship, 80 percent of the establishments in the city are affected. Vitor saved all that.
“I have to say this to Vitor: thank you for keeping us in the Premier League. If everything goes as I think, next year we are having another conversation and talking about Wolverhampton in the top seven.”
Top seven for Wolves would be extraordinary
Photo by Joe Prior/Visionhaus via Getty Images
Photo by Joe Prior/Visionhaus via Getty Images
It would be a phenomenal achievement if Wolves finished seventh or higher next season.
Much is going to depend on the kind of summer Wolves have. Matheus Cunha will leave the club, most likely to join Manchester United and other stars like Nelson Semedo and Pablo Sarabia could also depart.
Fans will hope that some great players can come, but losing that kind of quality will surely sting.
Wolves’ finishes in the Premier League since promotion in 2018
2018/19 – 7th
2019/20 – 7th
2020/21 – 13th
2021/22 – 10th
2022/23 – 13th
2023/24 – 14th
2024/25 – 13th-17th?
Realistically, Wolves should be aiming to finish in the top half next season.
However, what Pereira has done in such a short space of time will undoubtedly lead to people wanting more than that.
It’s not out of the question Wolves could do it though given Pereira’s work ethic.