Wolverhampton Wanderers have dismissed head coach Rob Edwards and are closing in on Portuguese manager César Peixoto as his successor.
Peixoto, aged 46, most recently managed Gil Vicente, guiding them to a sixth-place finish in the Portuguese top flight last season.
The dismissal came as a significant shock to Edwards, who first learned of the potential deal through rumours circulating on social media.
Edwards, who was abroad on holiday at the time, was then informed via phone call that his seven-month tenure at the club was over.
The news reportedly stunned even senior club staff, many of whom had been working closely with Edwards on plans for the upcoming season.
Edwards had been heavily involved in recruitment activity, appearing in the video announcing Raúl Jiménez’s return to the club and playing a major role in securing former England defender Kieran Trippier.
Alongside technical director Matt Jackson, Edwards had been planning further signings and recently attended a fans’ forum where he spoke about the need for a cultural reset following relegation.
“I would’ve come here if this club was in the National League, I wanted to be here,” Edwards said last month, reflecting on his commitment to the project after leaving Middlesbrough in November.
Peixoto, who has managed exclusively in Portugal throughout his career, is represented by the Gestifute agency fronted by prominent super-agent Jorge Mendes.
Gestifute maintains a well-established relationship with Wolves’ Chinese owner Fosun, who have repeatedly appointed agency clients as head coach, including Vítor Pereira, Bruno Lage, and Nuno Espírito Santo.
That relationship began when Fosun acquired the club in 2016 and also facilitated high-profile signings such as Pedro Neto and Rúben Neves over the years.
Executive chairman Nathan Shi described the decision to sack Edwards, for whom Wolves paid £4m in compensation to Boro, as “extremely difficult.”
Shi said: “Our decision was not about character, professionalism or dedication. It was about determining what we believe gives Wolves the strongest opportunity to move forward from a sporting perspective.”
Shi added: “It would have been easier to continue with what was familiar. However, leadership is not about choosing the easiest path, but about making the difficult decisions we believe are right for the future of the football club.”
The appointment of Peixoto signals a clear shift in footballing direction as Wolves look to rebuild and challenge for promotion back to the Premier League.