Wolves are on the hunt for a new manager after finally deciding to sack head coach Vitor Pereira.
The Midlands club are in crisis after a winless start to the campaign, with the dismissal coming just 47 days after bizarrely handing the Portuguese manager a new contract.
Whoever comes in next will be under no illusions of the huge tasks that awaits them, with Wolves stuck on just two points this season and eight points from safety with 10 games played.
Here are the main contenders to take the hotseat based on the early rumours swirling around Molineux.
Rob Edwards
Rob Edwards has historial links to Wolves after making more than 100 appearances as a player but it is his decent managerial career to date which has seen him come under strong consideration by the Wolves board.
The 42-year-old coach currently has Middlesbrough chasing promotion in second following his appointment over the summer, as he looks to repeat the feat he did with Luton Town and take them to the Premier League.
Edwards was unable to keep the Hatters in the top flight but would likely stand a better chance with Wolves. Whether he would turn his back on Boro, who could well be in the Premier League in a year’s time, for a club seemingly destined for the Championship is another matter though.
Gary O’Neil
Another manager with links to the club, Gary O’Neil has emerged as a surprise contender for a return less than 12 months after his sacking at Molineux.
O’Neil was replaced by Pereira in December with the club in the relegation zone but would return with the club in a much worse position to how he left them.
His first season at Wolves in 2023-24 was undoubtedly a success, guiding them to a 14th-place finish after coming in just days before the start of the season following Julen Lopetegui’s departure. During that campaign, O’Neil had earned a reputation as one of England’s most promising young coaches.
Michael Carrick
Michael Carrick, who Edwards replaced at Boro this summer, is another name mentioned by The Athletic.
The former Manchester United midfielder took the North-East side out of the relegation zone and into the play-offs in his first season but was sacked after missing out on the play-offs for the second successive season in 2024-25.
While it’s likely Edwards would once again be preferred for this role, Carrick is currently out of work and available – and would likely jump at the chance for a Premier League job.
Brendan Rodgers
Wolves may need a more experienced head to steer them out of trouble – which is something Brendan Rodgers has over the other four contenders.
The Northern Irishman is also recently out of work after departing Scottish Premiership side Celtic and has managed more than 300 games in England’s top flight with Liverpool, Leicester and Swansea.
Rodgers nearly guided Liverpool to the Premier League title during his time in Anfield, while he also took Leicester into Europe and won an FA Cup, rubberstamping his strong managerial credentials.
However, Wolves may be wary of the manner of the 52-year-old’s departure from Celtic, with club chief Dermot Desmond accusing Rodgers of “divisive, misleading, and self-serving” behaviour during his second spell with the club.
Given the public outbursts with fans Pereira was involved in during the end of his time at the club, Wolves may be smart to steer clear of appointing another potentially polarising figure.
