Major Wolves manager update emerges as hunt for new boss continues
Wolves manager latest as the club hunt the replacement of Bruno Lage - this update involves news of Julen Lopetegui's situation
Wolverhampton Wanderers are now expected to look elsewhere with primary manager target Julen Lopetegui set to take a break from football.
Spanish journalist Guillem Balague has told the BBC that Lopetegui has turned down the opportunity to try his hand in management in the Premier League because of the poor health of his elderly father, who he will now spend time with.
Lopetegui very nearly took over at Molineux before now, before the Spanish FA gazumped Wolves at the last minute. He's most recently been in charge of Sevilla in La Liga, but after just one win in ten games at the start of this season he was relieved of his duties last week.
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Offered the opportunity to jump back into work right away, Lopetegui has reportedly decided against replacing Bruno Lage at Wolves to spend time with his father, but he intends to try his hand in the Premier League in the future and expects offers in due course.
"It's a heartfelt no [to Wolves] but the personal and professional timing did not coincide," Balague has told BBC Sport.
"Conversations were very amicable and Wolves managed to put forward such an impressive case of a team that is accidentally towards the bottom of the table, but with a lot of potential and with players that will understand right away what Lopetegui could do with them," said Balague.
"That made Lopetegui doubt [his refusal], but life decides for you sometimes. His dad, 92 and whom Lopetegui is very close to, deserves his attention. It is not a matter of tiredness as he recovers energies, and his staff were ready to follow him wherever he went after the intense but very successful time at Sevilla.
"Even though he said no on this occasion and Wolves understood, it is quite clear that - when things are better at home - he will look for a team in the Premier League, his next destination and where he will surely find top clubs interested in what he offers."
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