Julen Lopetegui leaves Wolves by mutual consent, expected to be replaced by former Bournemouth boss Gary O’Neil
Julen Lopetegui has left Wolves by mutual consent after nine months in charge and is expected to be replaced by former Bournemouth manager Gary O’Neil.
Lopetegui has left the Midlands club just days before the new Premier League season as the Spanish manager was reportedly concerned for weeks about the club’s finances.
Wolves sporting director Matt Hobbs had said that Lopetegui was “committed” to Wolves, but the former Spain, Real Madrid and Sevilla manager has now left the club after a meeting with the club’s directors on Tuesday.
In Tuesday’s statement, Hobbs said: “While our ambition had been to move into the new season together, it is public knowledge that there were differences of opinion on some key topics, and it was agreed by all parties that it would be best to part ways ahead of the new campaign.”
Lopetegui took charge of Wolves last November and took the side from the bottom of the Premier League table to safety, finishing the 2022-23 campaign in 13th.
O’Neil, in his first season as a manager, guided Bournemouth to Premier League safety last season after they finished 15th, but he was sacked in June.
The 40-year-old was replaced by Andoni Iraola who led Spanish side Rayo Vallecano to 11th in La Liga last season.
Wolves have struggled to recruit players this summer.
Matt Doherty has returned to the club on a free transfer. Wolves also completed the permanent signing of Matheus Cunha from Atletico Madrid for a deal worth £35m including add-ons.
Central defender Nathan Collins joined Brentford from Wolves for £23m in July.
Wolves’ opening game of the Premier League season is against Manchester United at Old Trafford on August 14.
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