Pereira leaves Saudi Pro League Wolves’ a Premier League survival challenge

December 20 – Premier League strugglers Wolverhampton Wanderers, in the English top flight since 2018, have hired the much-travelled Vitor Pereira as  their new manager.

The 56-year-old Portuguese coach has agreed  to leave Al Shabab in Saudi Arabia to take over a team in next-to-last place in England’s top flight, with just two wins from 16 games.  He succeeds Gary O’Neil who was fired on Sunday – a day after a 2-1 loss to relegation rival Ipswich – after 16 months in charge.

In the past 15 years, Pereira has coached in his native Portugal, Greece, Turkey, Germany, China, Brazil and Saudi.

His most successful spell was at Porto, who he led to league titles in 2012 and 2013 – losing just one match across two campaigns.

Wolves chairman Jeff Shi said Pereira “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,” Shi said. “We have full confidence in his ability to guide us back on track.”

Pereira has signed an 18-month deal and his first match in charge will be at Leicester on Saturday.

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