Vitor Pereira has worked magic since joining Wolves, and one incredible statistic highlights truly how transformational he has been.
When Gary O’Neil was sacked in December, supporters knew how difficult it would be for the next man in charge, with relegation hanging over their shoulders.
Their fears would have been amplified when Vitor Pereira was hired by Wolves, despite boasting no top-flight experience previously.
But it’s the appointment of Pereira that has saved their season. His tactical expertise has transformed the entire Wolves squad, seeing them skyrocket up to 14th position.
Remarkably, despite only joining six months ago, Pereira has been shortlisted for Manager of the Season, telling of the impact he’s made.
Photo by Jack Thomas - WWFC/Wolves via Getty Images
Photo by Jack Thomas – WWFC/Wolves via Getty Images
Vitor Pereira is Europe’s in-form manager
It isn’t just in the Premier League where his expertise is being recognised, as the 56-year-old is top of the list for one key metric.
In the 2024/25 campaign, he’s taken 0.66 more points per game than O’Neil amassed during his first 16 matches in charge this term.
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That places him at the top of the list across Europe’s top five leagues, even ahead of former West Brom boss Carlos Corberan and Roma manager Claudio Ranieri.
Best managerial changes Points per game of new coach PPG difference
Vitor Pereira (before Gary O’Neil) 1.65 +0.99
Carlos Corberan (before Ruben Baraja) 1.86 +0.91
Diego Martinez (before Luis Carrion) 1.21 +0.87
Habib Beye (before Jorge Sampaoli) 1.71 +0.81
Dieter Hecking (before Peter Zeidler) 0.88 +0.75
Claudio Ranieri (before Ivan Juric) 1.97 +0.72
According to points per game before and after*
Pereira deserves a new contract
Having single-handedly saved their season, Wolves will be hoping that the summer transfer window can be one of progression, instead of usually selling their best players.
Matheus Cunha is set to leave Wolves, with Manchester United leading the race for him, while Rayan Ait-Nouri could exit Molineux.
However, with the money received for their prized assets, most of it has to be invested in the squad, handing Pereira the tools to get his side flying up the table.
Pereira predicts ‘big things’ in Wolverhampton, but if he wants to follow in the footsteps of Nuno Espirito Santo and qualify for Europe, he must be backed with the financial muscle.
Should that be the case, Pereira is expected to sign a new contract towards the end of the year, depending on how his side starts the 2025/26 campaign.