Pereira close to new Wolves deal despite poor start

Wolverhampton Wanderers manager Vitor Pereira is close to signing a new contract at Molineux, despite the club’s disappointing start to the Premier League season. 

The Portuguese coach, whose current deal expires at the end of the campaign, is expected to finalise an agreement before the weekend.

The move highlights the board’s backing of Pereira, who replaced Gary O’Neil as head coach in December. 

Wolves have lost all four of their league games so far this season, leaving them bottom of the table ahead of Saturday’s clash with Leeds United. Their only success came in the EFL Cup, where they beat West Ham in August.

If Wolves lose against Leeds, they risk becoming just the sixth team in Premier League history to open a campaign with five straight defeats. 

Despite the poor form, Pereira’s work since taking over last winter continues to be viewed positively inside the club.

When he arrived, Wolves were in the relegation zone, but he guided them to safety with a strong run of results. 

The team finished 16th, 17 points clear of the bottom three, after a memorable six-game winning streak between March and April. Their last league victory came during that run, a 3-0 win over Leicester City.

Executive chairman Jeff Shi has been vocal in his support for Pereira, stressing the need for stability. He previously said that Wolves must give the manager time to shape the squad and emphasised the importance of unity and strong team spirit. According to Shi, Pereira has already improved the dressing-room chemistry since his arrival.

As talks progress, Wolves’ hierarchy believe securing Pereira’s future will provide the stability required to turn around their form. 

The club will now hope that a renewed sense of backing for the manager translates into results on the pitch, starting with the crucial match against Leeds this weekend.