Wolves Appoint Cesar Peixoto as Rob Edwards Departs

Wolves have moved decisively to rip up their reset plan and start again, reaching a full agreement with Gil Vicente head coach Cesar Peixoto and preparing to confirm the dismissal of Rob Edwards.

The deal for Peixoto was wrapped up at speed after talks accelerated in recent days, with influential super-agent Jorge Mendes once again at the heart of events at Molineux. His long-standing relationship with Wolves’ owners Fosun remains intact and powerful, and his recommendation has carried significant weight in the boardroom.

Edwards out after relegation and rising doubts

Official confirmation has not yet dropped, but the decision on Edwards has been brewing for months. Concerns inside the club first surfaced back in December, in the early stages of his tenure, when his start to life back at Molineux fell flat.

Results improved for a spell. Performances steadied. Yet the table never lied. Wolves finished the season with just 20 points and only three league wins, sliding out of the Premier League with barely a fight. Relegation stripped away any remaining protection Edwards might have had.

The 41-year-old’s appointment had been framed as a long-term play. He walked away from Middlesbrough after a superb start on Teesside to take over his hometown club, a move that stirred controversy but also a sense of romantic ambition. Many around Wolves believed the real judgment would come this coming season in the Championship, with Edwards supposedly the man to engineer an immediate return.

He did not work in isolation. Behind the scenes, Edwards helped shape Wolves’ recruitment strategy and played a central role in persuading Raul Jimenez to return to Molineux. He also pushed hard for the move that brought experienced defender Kieran Trippier to the club, adding proven quality and leadership to a fragile dressing room.

Those contributions were not enough to silence the questions. With new executive chairman Nathan Shi eager to stamp his authority on the club’s direction, scrutiny of Edwards’ position intensified. Conversations with Mendes followed. The outcome now looks inevitable.

Mendes’ man: why Wolves are betting on Peixoto

Into that uncertainty stepped Cesar Peixoto. Sources indicate Mendes actively promoted the 46-year-old as a compelling alternative, and Wolves moved quickly to explore the option.

Talks gave the club a detailed look at Peixoto’s vision, methods and tactical ideas. That was enough. A full agreement is now in place, with the Portuguese coach set to take charge immediately.

Peixoto is a familiar name in Portuguese football. As a player, he represented both Benfica and Porto and earned international caps with Portugal. His coaching career, though, has taken longer to catch fire.

Up until 2025, his managerial record was modest at best. A series of short, stuttering spells did little to build his reputation or suggest he would one day land a job in English football. He was a figure on the circuit, not a headline act.

That perception changed at Gil Vicente. Peixoto took over under difficult circumstances and transformed the mood, guiding the club to an impressive sixth-place finish in the Portuguese top flight. It stands as the defining achievement of his coaching career so far and a season that turned heads across Europe.

People close to the situation say Wolves have been struck by both his tactical clarity and the way he managed to squeeze performances out of a limited squad. The hierarchy see an emerging coach with room to grow rather than a finished article, a manager whose best work may still be ahead of him.

High stakes, no margin for error

This is not a gentle introduction to English football. Expectations at Molineux are brutal after relegation. The mandate is simple and unforgiving: go straight back up.

Wolves believe Peixoto can be the catalyst. His appointment signals a shift in trust towards a coach they view as upwardly mobile, aligned with the club’s long-term vision, and fully backed by the most influential agent in their recent history.

Edwards’ departure is due to be confirmed imminently. When it is, Wolves will have made their choice clear: the risk of change now is preferable to the risk of standing still in the Championship.

Peixoto walks into a club that knows the cost of failure. The question is whether his rise from Gil Vicente to Molineux becomes the next bold chapter in Wolves’ story, or another gamble that leaves them stranded outside the Premier League.