Julen Lopetegui in talks to terminate Wolves contract with Gary O’Neil in line to replace him
Julen Lopetegui, the current manager of Wolves, is reportedly in negotiations to terminate his contract with the club. It is understood that former Bournemouth manager Gary O’Neil is the favorite to replace Lopetegui at Molineux.
talkSPORT revealed on Monday that O’Neil is being considered as a potential option to take over from the 56-year-old Spaniard. Lopetegui joined Wolves in November and successfully guided them to Premier League safety against all odds.
During his tenure, Wolves were involved in a relegation battle before finishing in a respectable 13th place under Lopetegui’s guidance. However, his future has been uncertain due to his public frustration over the lack of new signings this summer.
Several key players, including Ruben Neves, Nathan Collins, Raul Jimenez, and Conor Coady, have been sold for a combined fee of £91 million. Despite this, Wolves have managed to secure permanent deals for loan players Matheus Cunha and Boubacar Traore, as well as bringing back Matt Doherty on a free transfer.
Lopetegui recently discussed Wolves’ financial difficulties in an interview with Spanish journalist Gulliem Balague on his YouTube channel. He expressed his hope for improvement in the situation and emphasized the need for competitiveness in the Premier League.
However, it appears that Lopetegui’s time at Wolves is coming to an end, with Gary O’Neil being seriously considered as his replacement. O’Neil impressed during his time at Bournemouth, where he helped the club finish 15th in the Premier League with his free-flowing style of football.
Whoever takes charge of Wolves will face a challenging start to the new season, with fixtures against Manchester United, Brighton, and Liverpool in their opening five matches.
In other news, talkSPORT has launched a new match center where football fans can stay up-to-date with the latest fixtures, results, and standings. The match center provides comprehensive coverage of the Premier League, including fixtures, the league table, and all other relevant information.
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Stay tuned for more updates on the Wolves managerial situation and the upcoming Premier League season.
Julen Lopetegui, the Wolves manager, is currently engaged in talks with the club in order to terminate his contract. Reports suggest that Premier League veteran Gary O’Neil is in line to potentially replace him.
Lopetegui has been Wolves manager for nearly two years, taking over the team in May 2018. He is credited for the club’s upward trajectory, leading them into the Europa League and the emphatic end of the season which saw them finish in their highest Premier League position since 1980.
Despite this, the club has been hit with a number of setbacks this season, coming off of their worst ever run of form in the top-flight. The club board has grown increasingly frustrated with the team’s poor performances on the pitch. As a result, Lopetegui has come under fire and is now reportedly in talks to cut his contract short.
Gary O’Neil is allegedly the front-runner to replace the Spanish manager. The 36-year-old has an impressive track-record, having played in the Premier League for the likes of Portsmouth, Manchester City, Middlesbrough, West Ham United and Norwich City. He has been without a club since he was released by Bristol City in August 2019.
It is believed that O’Neil is keen to make a return to the Premier League and is said to be a perfect fit for the Wolves job. He has been praised for his no-nonsense approach to the game and his leadership qualities could be a great help to the struggling team.
Whilst talks are still ongoing, Wolves are said to be close to securing a new manager in the coming days. If confirmed, Gary O’Neil will be the new head coach of the club and Julen Lopetegui’s tenure as Wolves manager will come to an end.