Wolves boss Pereira frustrated by lack of transfer activity

Wolves head coach Vitor Pereira has expressed his frustrations with the club's transfers this summer.

Pereira joined Wolves in December 2024 with the team languishing in 19th in the Premier League after winning just two of their first sixteen matches in the competition. 

The 56-year-old's impact at the club was instant, guiding Wolves to safety with five games of the 2024-25 season remaining. 

Wolves won six successive matches in the top flight for the first time since between September and October 1970 across March and April earlier this year. 

The win that secured their survival came in a 1-0 triumph away to Manchester United. It was the first time they completed a league double over the Red Devils since 1979-80. 

And ahead of the 2025-26 campaign, Pereira is keen to make sure that Wolves don't face the same problems. 

"My ambition is to be in the middle of the table and not always worry about the bottom places. It's to look upwards," he told Lusa news agency.

"But right now, we've lost (Matheus) Cunha, we've lost (Rayan) Ait-Nouri, one to Manchester United and one to Manchester City, two very important players for us."

Cunha and Ait-Nouri aren't the only departures from Molineux this summer, with Nelson Semedo and Pablo Sarabia also leaving the club on the expiry of their contracts in June.

In his short time in charge, Pereira has notably forged a strong relationship with Wolves fans, and he was keen to stress that relationship, as well as squad reinforcements, would be critical to avoiding a relegation battle.

"We've created a relationship, a relationship that I hope will continue and I hope the club understands that we have to fulfil the expectations of the masses," he added. 

"Because they're starting to create expectations now, naturally, and we need reinforcements, we need to be competitive."

Pereira further reiterated that ensuring the team stayed competitive from the start of the season, insisting that getting out of the relegation places could be a problem as the campaign goes on. 

Incomings have so far been light on the ground at Molineux, with only Spanish winger Fer Lopez joining from Celta Vigo, while Jorgen Strand Larsen has also completed a permanent move from the LaLiga side after last season's successful loan spell. 

Wolves have been linked with a move for Fluminense's Jhon Arias, who shone for the Brazilian side at the recent Club World Cup, with Pereira hopeful of some activity in the coming days when asked about transfers. 

"I want to prepare a team to start the league competitively, but at the moment it hasn't been possible," Pereira said. 

"I hope there will be some news in the next few days about bringing in people to increase the quality of the squad."

Wolves begin their Premier League campaign by welcoming Pep Guardiola's Manchester City to Molineux on August 16.