Former Man Utd manager favourite for Wolves job as Gary O’Neill pulls out

Former Wolves boss Gary O’Neil has decided against a return (Picture: Getty Images)

Gary O’Neil was the frontrunner to be the next permanent Wolves manager but, after he withdrew from the process, a new name is favourite to take over at Molineux.

Wolves sit bottom of the Premier League table after a disastrous start to the Premier League season which has seen them pick up just two points from their first 10 games.

Unsurprisingly Vitor Pereira was dismissed as manager as their nightmare run continued on Saturday with a 3-0 loss at Fulham.

Already eight points adrift of safety, it is a big ask for anyone to keep Wolves in the top flight this season, but there is a lot of football to be played so it is not out of the question.

O’Neil was heavily fancied to be the man given that task, with bookmakers making the former Wolves boss the clear favourite to return to the club.

The Englishman has not taken a job since he was dismissed at Molineux in December 2024 and held talks over a return, but The Athletic report that he has pulled out of the race for the job, feeling it was not right for him at this time.

That has thrown the race to replace Pereira wide open and another familiar face to the Premier League now leads the way in terms of the odds.

Erik ten Hag had a short and bizarre stint at Bayer Leverkusen (Picture: Getty Images)

Former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag is considered a strong possibility to take charge of Wolves, despite his recent calamitous spell at Bayer Leverkusen.

The Dutchman was sacked as Manchester United manager in October 2024 after a poor start to last season.

He did not take another job until Leverkusen came calling in the summer and he replaced Xabi Alonso in May.

It could scarcely have gone any worse, with the 55-year-old sacked after just three games in charge.

Despite such a short spell in charge, Ten Hag had reportedly clashed significantly with the hierarchy at Bayer Leverkusen and strange training methods alienated players.

Wolves are interested in the former Ajax manager, though, and he may be given the chance to have another crack at the Premier League.

Ten Hag may have had a forgettable time in terms of league finishes with the Red Devils, but did win both the Carabao Cup and FA Cup during his stint at Old Trafford.

Ten Hag left Manchester United in October last year (Picture: Getty Images)

Other contenders to replace Pereira at Wolves include Robbie Keane, who began his professional career at the club in 1997.

The Irishman has taken an unusual route into management, starting briefly at ATK in India in 2018, then taking charge of Maccabi Tel Aviv in 2023-24, followed by his current club Ferencvaros, where he began in January.

Rui Borges, the man who replaced Ruben Amorim at Sporting, is also in the running, as is Middlesbrough manager Rob Edwards, recently axed Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers and former Manchester United star Michael Carrick.

On links to the role, Carrick said on Match of the Day 2 on Sunday: ‘I’m enjoying some time out at the moment and I’m probably watching as much football as I’ve ever watched. With a free eye and nothing on it.

‘Still learning, still trying to improve from that side of things, but I’m enjoying doing things like this [media work], it’s a change, spending time with the family and see what’s next.’

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