Premier League struggler Wolverhampton Wanderers have hired much-travelled coach Vitor Pereira from Saudi Pro League club Al Shabab.
The 56-year-old Pereira takes over a team in next-to-last place in England’s top flight, with just two wins from 16 games. Wolves are five points from safety approaching the halfway point in the league.
Gary O’Neil was fired on Sunday — a day after a 2-1 loss to relegation rival Ipswich Town — after 16 months in charge.
“Pereira has taken training at Compton Park for the first time on Thursday and will be in charge when Wolves travel to Leicester City this weekend,” Wolves said in a statement in advance of the Premier League clash at King Power Stadium on Saturday.
Wolves have paid the release clause in Pereira’s contract with Al Shabab with the Portuguese signing an 18-month deal at Molineux.
Welcome to Wolves, Vitor 🤝
— Wolves (@Wolves) December 19, 2024
Following the match at Leicester, Wolves face Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur later this month.
“This is a challenging moment for the club, and we want to thank Vitor for taking on this responsibility,” Wolves chairman Jeff Shi said.
“We have full confidence in his ability to guide us back on track, alongside the players and staff, and the entire club will be united in supporting him to achieve success.”
Pereira first made a name for himself at Porto as assistant to Andre Villas-Boas, who left to join Chelsea in 2011 leaving his protégé to take over as manager of the Portuguese side.
Pereira won the Primeira Liga twice with Porto, before signing with Saudi Arabia’s Al Ahli in 2013 and beginning a globe-trotting career that would see him manage clubs such as Olympiakos Piraeus, Fenerbahce, Shanghai Port and Flamengo.
Al Shabab are currently sixth in the Saudi Pro League after 13 games and are 13 points adrift of leader Al-Ittihad, with seven wins and four defeats to their name this season.
The squad are currently in Qatar for a training camp before their next league fixture at another of Pereira’s former clubs, Al Ahli, on January 10.
Let's go! 💪🏼🤍🖤
The beginning of the Doha camp 🏕️ pic.twitter.com/A329LVbu0g— AlShabab Saudi Club (@AlShabab_EN) December 18, 2024
