Premier League: Wolves hire Pereira from Saudi Pro League’s Al Shabab football news
Vitor Pereira has left Saudi Pro League club Al Shabab to take immediate charge of the English Premier League strugglers.
Premier League strugglers Wolverhampton Wanderers have appointed much-travelled coach Vitor Pereira from Saudi Pro League club Al Shabab.
The 56-year-old Perera takes charge of a team in next-to-last place in England’s top flight, with just two wins in 16 matches. Wolves are five points from safety as they approach the halfway point in the league.
Gary O’Neill was sacked on Sunday – a day after a 2-1 defeat to relegation rivals Ipswich Town – after 16 months in charge.
“Pereira trained 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 ahead of Saturday’s Premier League clash at the King Power Stadium.
Wolves have paid the release clause in Pereira’s contract with Al Shabab and the Portuguese has signed an 18-month deal at Molineux.
Welcome to Wolves, Vitor 🤝
– Wolves (@wolves) 19 December 2024
After the match at Leicester, Wolves face Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur later this month.
Wolves chairman Jeff Shea said, “This is a challenging moment for the club and we would like to thank Vitor for taking on this responsibility.”
“We have full confidence in the players and staff as well as their ability to get us back on track and the entire club will pull together and support them to achieve success.”
Pereira first made his name at Porto as assistant to André Villas-Boas, leaving his pupil to join Chelsea in 2011 to take over as manager of the Portuguese side.
Pereira won the Primeira Liga twice with Porto, before signing with Saudi Arabia’s Al Ahly in 2013 and embarking on a worldwide career that saw him manage clubs such as Olympiacos Piraeus, Fenerbahce, Shanghai Port and Flamengo .
Al Shabab are currently sixth in the Saudi Pro League after 13 games and 13 points behind leaders Al-Ittihad, with seven wins and four losses to their name this season.
The team is currently in Qatar for a training camp ahead of their next league match at Pereira’s other former club, Al Ahly, on 10 January.
let’s go!
Start of Doha Camp🏕️ pic.twitter.com/A329LVbu0g– AlShabab Saudi Club (@AlShabab_EN) 18 December 2024
