Former Wolves boss rejects Premier League club as petition set up against his appointment

A former Wolves manager is set to turn down a return to the Premier League in favour of a European giant.

Italian outlet Gazzetta dello Sport is reporting that Julen Lopetegui has told West Ham that he has chosen to manage AC Milan over them this summer. Lopetegui has been out of work since departing Molineux in August, and after a season out, he is set to land a big role.

The Spainiard's potential appointment has been met with a mixed response. Several supporters of AC Milan are protesting against the idea of the club appointing a former Wolves manager. A hashtag 'Nopetegui' was trending and even a petition was set up against his potential arrival.

Lopetegui was thought to be a strong contender for the role at the London Stadium. He had been linked with several jobs both in France and Marseille after his departure from Molineux with his preferred destination believed to be a return to the Premier League.

He now looks set to manage in Italy for the first time in his career. Milan suffered defeat to their city rivals Inter last Monday which saw them win the Serie A title. Stefano Pioli is currently in charge but is expected to leave following the conclusion of the current campaign.

Should Lopetegui land the role, he will be bringing a vast amount of managerial experience to the San Siro. The 57-year-old has been coaching since 2003 as an assistant to the under-17s Spain team and was also the manager of Rayo Vallecano.

He was in charge from Spain's under-19s to under-21s team from 2010 to 2014 before getting the Porto job. Lopetegui was manager of the Spanish national team from 2016 to 2018 but was relieved of his duties on the eve of the World Cup after it was announced he would become manager of Real Madrid. He didn't last too long at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium though, getting sacked after just 14 games.

Lopetegui spent almost a year out before taking over Sevilla and they lifted the Europa League under his watch. He was sacked in October 2022 and just a month later he took over Wolves, becoming their head coach. The former goalkeeper managed them for a total of 27 games with 10 wins, six draws and 11 defeats, guding them to a 13th-placed finish in his only season.