Former Wolves manager emerges as strong contender for Leicester City vacancy after Martí Cifuentes sack
Leicester City are looking for a replacement for Marti Cifuentes, who was sacked after just six months at the King Power Stadium
Former Wolves manager Vitor Pereira has emerged as one of the leading candidates to take on the vacant manager's job at Leicester City, according to reports from The Express & Star.
The 57-year-old has been out of football since November when he was sacked as manager of Wolves, following a demolishing 3-0 defeat away to Fulham which left the team bottom of the table with just two points from their opening 10 matches after a run of eight defeats and two draws.
Overall, Pereira, who has managed the likes of Olympiacos, FC Porto, Flamengo and Al Shabab, lasted 11 months at Molineux after initially making a very strong start to life in the Black Country.
Pereira’s stock remains high despite disappointing end to life at Wolves
Pereira has had a managerial career full of highs and lows which is perhaps encapsulated best by his time at Wolves.
When he joined in December 2024, he inherited at team 19th with nine points from 16 matches. He oversaw a 3-0 win over Leicester City in his first match in charge and ultimately led the team to a commendable 16th place finish while accumulating 33 points from 22 matches, in a run which included a six-match winning run - the club’s best since 1970 in the top-flight.
Pereira got the best out of players like Jorgen Strand Larsen, Matheus Cunha and Rayan Ait-Nouri while also instilling confidence into Brazilian duo Andre and Joao Gomes in the second half of the campaign.
He became a popular figure for his ritual of going to the pub to celebrate wins with supporters, but things began to unravel last season after several high-profile departures as the club failed to win any of their opening 10 games this term.
Leicester City’s season so far
Wolves’ great escape, came at the expense of Leicester City, who were relegated under Ruud Van Nistelrooy with a measly 25 points.
Despite their demotion, they entered pre-season as promotion favourites, but things haven’t panned out like that at all so far.
As it stands, the Foxes are in 14th position, winning just once in their previous five league games. They are six points adrift of the play-offs and only nine away from safety despite having one of the biggest wage budgets in the division.
Pereira’s availability could make him a smart appointment based on his experience and passion, but he’s not the only name in contention, with Russell Martin, Robbie Keane and Lee Carsley also being linked with the vacancy.