Wolves are searching for a new manager after sacking Vitor Pereira less than 24 hours after Saturday’s 3-0 loss against Fulham which leaves them rock bottom of the Premier League
Middlesbrough boss Rob Edwards has responded publicly after he was linked with the Wolves job. Edwards, 42, broke his silence on the speculation just hours before it emerged that former Wolves manager Gary O’Neil had pulled out of talks to return to Molineux.
Having been sacked by Wolves in December 2024, O’Neil emerged as the frontrunner to replace Vitor Periera, the man who succeeded him. Pereira has now suffered the same fate, as Wolves wielded the axe less than 24 hours after Saturday’s bruising 3-0 defeat away to Fulham.
The result leaves them winless after 10 Premier League matches and rock bottom of the table. O’Neil had been in advanced talks with the Molineux hierarchy but doesn’t feel that the opportunity is right for him, according to The Athletic.
Now the focus appears to be on Edwards, who also has ties to Wolves. The ex-defender made over 100 appearances for the club between 2004 and 2008 before coaching in their academy and having a spell as interim manager in 2016.
Edwards, though, insists that his full focus is on Middlesbrough, who are second in the Championship table four months into his reign. “I was told about it by my daughter yesterday, so that probably tells you where I am with it all,” the 42-year-old said ahead of Boro’s trip to Leicester on Tuesday.
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“I can understand it, with my links to the club, but my full focus is on this job here, which is a brilliant job, and trying to turn things around from the weekend in what is a really big game against Leicester.
“It’s speculation stuff, so it’s hard for me to comment on anything other than Middlesbrough Football Club, which is where my focus is. We’ve done a decent job so far, all I care about is trying to win tomorrow.
“It’s all speculation. I never get drawn into stuff that’s all hypothetical, and I don’t want to get drawn into that. I love being Middlesbrough manager – head coach, I should say – and that’s all I want to think about. I just want to talk about us and Leicester, that’s it.”
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Pressed again on the speculation, Edwards replied: “All I can say is that I haven’t given it a single thought because all of my focus has been on this. We were in yesterday – I was in here at half seven on Sunday and got home at about half four after doing a full day [of prep work] on Leicester.
“We had a really good recovery day with the boys, and what I hope was a really productive meeting with them. Today, all the focus has been on what’s coming next. I can’t talk about anything else – that’s just the stuff that my daughter is telling me about.”
Other targets reportedly include ex-Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag and their former midfielder, Michel Carrick. Wolves are next in action on Saturday away to Chelsea, with academy coaches James Collins and Richard Walker in charge on a temporary basis.
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Sky Sports discounted Premier League and EFL package
Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle ahead of the 2025/26 season, saving members £192 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.
Sky will show at least 215 live Premier League games next season, an increase of up to 100 more.
