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Wolves appoint former Porto boss Vitor Pereira as new head coach

The experienced Portuguese manager joins from Saudi Pro League side Al-Shabab on an 18-month contract

Wolverhampton Wanderers have appointed former Porto boss Vitor Pereira as their new head coach, as they look to turn around their disappointing Premier League season.

The experienced Portuguese manager joins from Saudi Pro League side Al-Shabab on an 18-month contract, with Wolves reportedly paying around £825,000 in compensation.

Pereira replaces Gary O’Neil, who was sacked on Sunday after a 2-1 defeat to Ipswich, which left Wolves second from bottom in the Premier League standings.

Pereira took charge of training for the first time on Thursday and will oversee his first match as head coach on Sunday, when Wolves travel to Leicester.

The Foxes sit 17th in the table, five points ahead of Wolves.

Wolves had been assessing their options for several weeks, considering various candidates, including former West Ham manager David Moyes.

Pereira quickly emerged as the frontrunner for the role, bringing with him an impressive track record.

He won back-to-back Primeira Liga titles with Porto in 2012 and 2013, and claimed the Greek Super League title with Olympiakos in 2015.

Prior to joining Wolves, Pereira had been in charge at Al-Shabab since February, guiding them to sixth place in the Saudi Pro League.

The 56-year-old now takes over a Wolves side that has struggled under O’Neil, who was appointed in August 2023.

Wolves have won just two of their 16 Premier League matches this season, against Southampton and Fulham.

With their seven-year stay in the top flight under serious threat, Pereira faces a difficult challenge to steer the club away from relegation.

Chairman Jeff Shi said: “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 for 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.”

Sporting director Matt Hobbs said: “Vitor is a highly experienced and accomplished head coach who has demonstrated his ability to succeed at the highest level.

“His personality, desire and leadership qualities stood out to us during this process, and we’re excited to see how he applies his expertise here at Wolves.

“I’m looking forward to working closely with Vitor and his team on a daily basis, supporting them in every way possible – from getting the maximum out of our staff at Compton, to recruitment in the upcoming transfer window – as we work together to strengthen the squad and achieve our collective goals.”

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