Wolverhampton Wanderers have sacked manager Vítor Pereira after a dreadful start to the Premier League season that saw the club go winless in their opening 10 matches.
The Portuguese coach departs Molineux just over a month after signing a new three-year contract, leaving the team bottom of the table and facing a second consecutive relegation battle. The final straw came after a 3-0 defeat to Fulham at Craven Cottage, which extended Wolves’ losing streak to eight and deepened fan frustration.
According to talkSPORT, Wolves’ hierarchy acted swiftly following the Fulham loss and an internal review of results and dressing room morale. The club reportedly inserted a clause in Pereira’s new deal signed in September, allowing them to dismiss him without paying out the full value of his contract.
Pereira’s dismissal makes Wolves the first club in Premier League history to start back-to-back seasons without a win in their opening ten games — a statistic that underlines the scale of the crisis.
Appointed in December last year, Pereira was brought in to stabilise Wolves after Julen Lopetegui’s departure. At first, his intense, possession-based style brought flashes of promise, helping the club avoid relegation and finish 15th last season. However, optimism evaporated as this campaign began with a string of poor results and uninspiring performances.
In 38 matches in charge, Pereira managed 14 wins, five draws, and 19 defeats. His two victories this season came in the Carabao Cup, but those were quickly overshadowed by league struggles, culminating in a 4-3 defeat to Chelsea and back-to-back losses that left the club with just three points from ten games.
Tensions between Pereira and Wolves supporters have also been growing for weeks. The manager was seen confronting fans after a 2-1 defeat to Burnley, reportedly shouting back at sections of the away support who criticised the team’s lack of fight. Staff members had to restrain him as tempers flared.
Travelling supporters at Fulham continued to voice their displeasure, chanting “sacked in the morning” as Wolves slumped to yet another defeat. The mood around Molineux has since turned toxic, with many questioning the club’s direction under chairman Jeff Shi and the Fosun ownership group.
A club statement released late on Sunday read: “Wolverhampton Wanderers can confirm that head coach Vítor Pereira has left his position with immediate effect. The club would like to thank Vítor for his hard work and professionalism during his time in charge and wishes him well for the future.”
The search for a new manager is already underway, with Wolves expected to appoint an interim coach before next weekend’s fixture. Names such as Gary O’Neil, Nuno Espírito Santo, and Bruno Lage have already been linked with a potential return.
Despite the turmoil, Wolves’ players are said to have remained supportive of Pereira personally but admitted privately that morale had hit a low point. A senior squad member reportedly told club officials that “the atmosphere around the training ground feels flat,” prompting further urgency to make a change.
Pereira’s brief tenure was marked by inconsistency and defensive frailty. Wolves have conceded 24 goals in ten games this season, scoring only six — the worst attacking record in the division. Their lack of confidence in front of goal, combined with frequent lapses at the back, proved fatal to the manager’s position.
The Portuguese coach had hoped his new contract, which ran until 2028, would give him the time to rebuild the team’s identity. However, with Wolves rooted to the bottom of the table and fan unrest growing, the board decided there was no way forward.
Pereira’s exit marks another chapter in Wolves’ recent managerial instability, with the club now set to appoint their fourth permanent head coach in just two years. Whoever takes over faces the immediate challenge of lifting confidence and steering the team away from the relegation zone before the busy winter schedule.
For Wolves, a club with Premier League ambitions but now mired in crisis, the coming weeks could define their season — and their future in England’s top flight.
