Skip to main content
Daily Mirror

Wolves move quickly for new manager with little-known boss Everton fans protested against

Wolves confirmed that Gary O'Neil had been relieved of his duties on Sunday morning and the Premier League strugglers are already working on a deal for his replacement

Al-Shabab head coach Vitor Pereira
Wolves are in talks to acquire Vitor Pereira from Al-Shabab(Image: Alex Grimm/FIFA)

Wolves have identified Vitor Pereira, the head coach of Saudi Pro League outfit Al-Shabab, as their top choice to succeed Gary O'Neil.

The Premier League strugglers confirmed on Sunday afternoon that O'Neil had been relieved of his duties following Saturday's demoralising last-gasp defeat against Ipswich Town.


And they've wasted little time in making their move to fill the role by approaching Al-Shabab for Pereira, 56. Wolves are ready to pay the release clause in Pereira's contract, which could make a move relatively straightforward.


The Black Country outfit are already working on a deal and that personal terms are unlikely to be a problem given Pereira is keen on the move.

READ MORE: Wolves sack Gary O'Neil in dramatic U-turn following brutal Ipswich lossREAD MORE: Good luck to Wolves' next manager - it's a club in meltdown from top to bottom

Pereira has won titles at Porto, Olympiacos and Shanghai SIPG during his managerial career and is said to speak multiple languages, including very strong English.

While Pereira has championship-winning experience, previous links to a Premier League role led to protests at Everton. He was touted as a contender to take the top job at Goodison Park back in 2022, only for fans to bite back at the links.

Article continues below

There were concerns harboured over aspects of his career, including the fact Pereira had overseen 1860 Munich's relegation to the German third-tier back in 2017.

Join the debate! Would Pereira be a good appointment, Wolves fans? Let us know here

WOLVERHAMPTON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 14: Wolverhampton Wanderers manager Gary O'Neil during the Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers FC and Ipswich Town FC at Molineux on December 14, 2024 in Wolverhampton, England. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)
Gary O'Neil was sacked by Wolves on Sunday(Image: Carl Recine/Getty Images)

Disgruntled fans sent a message to Farhad Moshiri by applying graffiti to the walls at Goodison Park, with a message which read 'Pereira out, Lampard in', referencing links to Frank Lampard, who would go on to land the job.

Wolves face Leicester City in a huge fixture next Sunday and the next few days will shed some light on whether or not they will be able to make an appointment in time for their trip to the King Power.

Wolves chairman Jeff Shi, who had thrown his support behind O'Neil just days before the Ipswich clash, said of his departure on Sunday: "We're very grateful to Gary for all of his effort, dedication and hard work during his time at the club, and we wish him and his team the best of luck for the future."

Article continues below

Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.

Sky Sports' discounted Premier League and EFL package
This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more

Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle in an unbeatable new deal that saves £192 and includes more than 1,000 live matches each season across the Premier League, EFL and more.

Follow Daily Mirror:


Gary O'NeilPremier LeagueEverton FCWolverhampton Wanderers FC
reach logo

At Reach and across our entities we and our partners use information collected through cookies and other identifiers from your device to improve experience on our site, analyse how it is used and to show personalised advertising. You can opt out of the sale or sharing of your data, at any time clicking the "Do Not Sell or Share my Data" button at the bottom of the webpage. Please note that your preferences are browser specific. Use of our website and any of our services represents your acceptance of the use of cookies and consent to the practices described in our Privacy Notice and Cookie Notice.