Wolverhampton Wanderers have announced the departure of manager Vitor Pereira, following a dismal winless start to the 2025-2026 Premier League season. The decision came after the club managed to secure just two points from their opening 10 league matches, recording eight defeats and sitting at the bottom of the table, eight points adrift of safety. The latest setback was a humbling 3-0 defeat to Fulham on Saturday.

Pereira, who was appointed in December 2024, had only recently signed a new three-year contract in September 2025. Despite his initial success in guiding the team to stave off relegation and finish 16th in the 2024-2025 Premier League campaign, results and performances this term fell below acceptable standards. Fan pressure had mounted, with a section of supporters turning on Pereira after a 3-2 loss to Burnley last week, an incident that required him to be escorted away from heated discussions with fans at Molineux. All eight of Pereira’s backroom staff have also left the club, with Under-21 head coach James Collins and Under-18 head coach Richard Walker set to take training temporarily.

Despite their league struggles, Wolves had shown some resilience in the Carabao Cup, securing victories over West Ham and Everton before being eliminated by Chelsea in the last 16. With the departure of Pereira, players like Super Eagles star Tolu Arokodare, who joined Wolves in September 2025 and has scored two goals in nine appearances, will be looking forward to a new coaching direction.

Attention now turns to potential candidates who could replace Pereira in the Wolves hotseat. Several prominent names are being discussed:

Brendan Rodgers: An early favourite for the role, Rodgers recently resigned from his position at Celtic, citing frustrations with the club’s sporting project. With extensive experience in the Premier League, including spells at Liverpool and Leicester City where he guided the Foxes to Europa League qualification, a return to England's top flight seems imminent for the Northern Irishman.

Daniele de Rossi: Wolves have historically shown an openness to ‘wildcard’ appointments from Europe, and the Italian legend fits this profile. De Rossi has been out of work since September 2024, following his sacking by boyhood club AS Roma. His most notable managerial achievement was leading Roma to the semi-finals of the 2023-24 UEFA Europa League, where they were eliminated by Bayer Leverkusen. He has previously been linked with the Wolves job before Pereira's appointment.

Erik ten Hag: The Dutchman’s recent managerial career has been tumultuous, marked by a drawn-out downfall at Manchester United and a brief, 62-day stint at Bayer Leverkusen, which reportedly involved fallouts with the hierarchy and players. Ten Hag, who built an impressive reputation at Ajax, might view the Wolves job as a crucial opportunity to restore his standing in the game.

Edin Terzić: This appointment would represent something of a coup for Wolves. The 43-year-old German manager is currently out of work after leaving Borussia Dortmund by mutual consent in June 2024. Terzić is widely regarded as one of the most impressive young coaches, having led Dortmund to a 5th-place finish in the Bundesliga and a Champions League final appearance in the 2023-24 season, beating Paris Saint-Germain in the semi-finals before losing to Real Madrid.

Adi Hütter: Out of work since October 2025 after being sacked by AS Monaco due to a poor run of form, Hütter had a previously impressive record with the Ligue 1 side. Working with a young squad in 2023-24, he led Monaco to their first Champions League appearance since 2018-19, repeating the feat the following season with a third-place finish. Hütter, another potential 'wildcard' appointment, would undoubtedly be an eye-catching choice for Wolves.