The 2025-26 Premier League season has not been kind to Wolverhampton Wanderers. After a promising turnaround under Vítor Pereira last season — in which he steered the club away from relegation and helped them finish in 16th place — the new campaign has begun in ominous fashion. Sportingpedia+3Reuters+3Wikipedia+3
The dire start
- Wolves lost their first four Premier League matches this season, leaving them at the bottom of the table. Reuters+2Sportingpedia+2
- Despite a summer of transfers and squad changes, the early results have been poor. The squad has seen significant outgoing transfers, and incoming players have yet to bring enough stability. The Times+3Wikipedia+3Sportingpedia+3
The contract extension: a bold vote of confidence
In spite of this rocky start, Wolves’ board has chosen to extend Pereira’s contract by three years. Reuters+2Sportingpedia+2
This move reflects several things:
- Belief in the process: The ownership clearly sees Pereira as someone who has already contributed positively — improving team spirit, bringing clarity to tactics, steadying the ship last season when it counted. Reuters+1
- Value of stability: Rather than following the all-too familiar “sack early” reaction to poor results, Wolves seem to want to avoid knee-jerk decisions. They appear determined to give the manager time to get the new players settled and to build cohesion. Reuters+1
- Risk vs reward: It’s a gamble. If the poor form continues, the pressure will mount — both from supporters and in the standings. But the board must believe that the longer-term gains are worth the short-term discomfort.
What the rest of the standings tell us
While Wolves are bottom, there are always other clubs in trouble early on, and early rankings don’t always tell the full story. Many clubs with lower budgets depend heavily on momentum, morale, injuries, and how well new signings adapt. The tightness in the mid-table makes it possible for teams to climb out of the relegation zone even after bad starts, if they stabilize things.
Key questions moving forward
To gauge whether this contract extension was the right move, the next few weeks will be crucial. Here are the points to watch:
- Immediate fixtures: How Wolves perform in their next few matches — especially at home — will shape whether confidence in Pereira holds up. Reuters+1
- Integration of new players: As with many clubs, summer signings take time. If the new arrivals begin to gel, we may start to see signs of improvement. Wikipedia
- Defensive resilience: In tight matches, keeping clean sheets (or limiting losses to narrow margins) can change momentum. Wolves’ early losses have been heavy or decisive, though some have been very close. The Times+1
- Mentality and squad unity: Pereira’s ability to instill belief will be tested now — this contract gives him leverage, but the players must respond.
Verdict: Is this the right strategy?
On balance, the extension looks like a reasonable bet by Wolves. They avoided relegation last season in tough circumstances, Pereira showed he can salvage a season, and the club seems more interested in long-term health than reacting to every setback. That said, nothing in football is guaranteed — poor starts can snowball, especially for clubs without the depth or finances of the giants.
If I were advising Wolves, I’d say: stick with Pereira, but be realistic about expectations in the short term. Perhaps aim to pick up first wins and clean sheets, build confidence gradually, focus on defensive solidity, then push for mid-table safety rather than lofty ambitions immediately.
