Wolves are moving forward with plans for next season. Reports from Portugal indicate the club are now in advanced talks to appoint César Peixoto.
The development comes despite Wolves publicly backing Rob Edwards following relegation from the Premier League.
Peixoto, 46, has significantly raised his profile over the past season after guiding Gil Vicente to a sixth-place finish in the Primeira Liga. That campaign now appears to have put him firmly on Wolves’ radar.
Now Portuguese newspaper A Bola report that the Gil Vicente manager has emerged as Wolves’ preferred option. Negotiations have already reached an advanced stage. And a deal could be completed before the end of this week.
Talks progressing towards final stage
According to the Portuguese newspaper, preparations for a possible change have been ongoing behind the scenes for several days. A Bola state that negotiations have been underway for several days and are now well advanced.
The project on offer at Molineux is said to appeal to Peixoto and only a small number of details reportedly remain before the move can be finalised.
Gil Vicente are already aware of Wolves’ interest in their manager. Peixoto is under contract until June 2027, having signed an extension that was officially announced on November 6th, 2025. As a result, Wolves would have to compensate the Portuguese club in order to secure his release.
The negotiations are being handled by Gestifute, with Jorge Mendes involved in the background, as always.
A Bola explain that Mendes has spent recent days in Madrid working on José Mourinho’s move to Real Madrid. Therefore the expectation is that he will turn his full attention to the Peixoto deal in the coming days.
Why Wolves are interested
César Peixoto’s coaching journey has taken him through spells at Varzim, Académica, Chaves, Moreirense and Paços de Ferreira. His work in Barcelos has been viewed as the breakthrough chapter of his managerial career.
Gil Vicente were one of the surprise packages of the Portuguese season under his leadership. They finished sixth in the table and comfortably outperformed expectations. That achievement appears to have convinced Wolves that he could be ready for a much bigger challenge.
A Bola go further, stating that the Molineux club view Peixoto as the ideal manager to lead their attempt to secure an immediate return to the Premier League.
That objective is already shaping recruitment decisions at the club. After failing to avoid relegation, Wolves are understood to be targeting a quick promotion push. So Peixoto’s work in Portugal has apparently made him a standout candidate.
What happens next
César Peixoto remains contracted to Gil Vicente and Wolves would still need to complete the financial arrangements required to release him from that agreement.
Even so, the reporting from Portugal paints a picture of a deal that has moved well beyond preliminary interest.
The club are said to have identified Peixoto as the ideal figure to oversee their Championship campaign. Negotiations are already at an advanced stage and Gil Vicente have been informed. Only final details are reportedly preventing an agreement.
For a club that has publicly supported Rob Edwards, the strength of A Bola’s reporting suggests Wolves may be much closer to a managerial change than has been apparent from the outside.
