Vitor Pereira leaves Al Shabab in Saudi Arabia to join Premier League struggler Wolves

By The Associated Press

Wolverhampton Wanderers' Mario Lemina reacts to a misplaced pass, during the English Premier League soccer match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Ipswich Town, at Molineux Stadium, in Wolverhampton, Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024. (Nick Potts/PA via AP)[ASSOCIATED PRESS/Nick Potts]

WOLVERHAMPTON, England (AP) — Premier League struggler Wolverhampton has hired much-traveled coach Vitor Pereira after he decided to leave Al Shabab in Saudi Arabia. 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 after 16 months in charge. Wolves have paid the release clause in Pereira’s contract with Al Shabab. In the past 15 years, he has coached in his native Portugal, Greece, Turkey, Germany, China, Brazil and Saudi. Pereira has signed an 18-month deal.