Wolverhampton Wanderers agree to appoint Cesar Peixoto as head coach

Wolverhampton Wanderers have reached an agreement in principle to appoint Cesar Peixoto as their new head coach, turning to the Portuguese manager as the club looks for a fresh start following a turbulent spell in the Championship.

Peixoto, 46, is currently in charge at Gil Vicente in Portugal’s Primeira Liga. His arrival at Molineux signals the end of Rob Edwards’ tenure, which failed to produce the kind of results Wolves needed after dropping out of the Premier League.

From Gil Vicente to Molineux

Peixoto took the reins at Gil Vicente on March 2, 2025, signing a deal through June 30, 2027. That contract will presumably need to be settled before any formal appointment at Wolves can be finalized, but the agreement in principle suggests those details are close to being ironed out.

Born in Guimaraes, Portugal, Peixoto has built his coaching career across the Portuguese football pyramid. He has previously managed Moreirense and Pacos de Ferreira, giving him a range of experience at different levels of the Portuguese game. His playing career included time at prestigious clubs such as FC Porto, Benfica, and Braga before he transitioned into coaching in 2019.

The Jorge Mendes connection

Peixoto’s move to Wolves is reportedly being facilitated by Jorge Mendes, the super-agent whose fingerprints have been all over Wolves’ operations for years. Mendes, through his agency Gestifute, has been instrumental in shaping Wolves’ squad and coaching appointments going back to the Nuno Espirito Santo era.

What went wrong under Rob Edwards

Edwards was appointed as Wolves head coach in November 2025, arriving with the task of steadying the ship after relegation from the Premier League. The results under Edwards were not enough to convince the Wolves hierarchy that he was the man to lead a promotion push.

The decision to move on from Edwards and bring in Peixoto suggests the club’s ownership group, led by Fosun International, is doubling down on the Portuguese connection that defined their most successful period.

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