Wolves are back in the hunt for Julen Lopetegui, just weeks after he turned the club’s advances down.
Wanderers are in talks again with the Spaniard, who is seemingly now more keen to come to Molineux.
Lopetegui has initially said he didn’t want to manage right away, after leaving Sevilla last month.
His father had not been well, and it was widely reported the 56-year-old was keen to spend time with the family.
But it appears the picture has changed, and seemingly the door has been kept slightly ajar since that initial rejection.
The Telegraph reported last night that Wanderers’ talks with Lopetegui had been progressing well.
The club is ‘hopeful’ that he could be confirmed as early as next week, which comes somewhat as a surprise after Wolves had communicated that Steve Davis would remain in interim charge until 2023.
This evening, Fabrizio Romano has provided a little more information about the situation.
Football’s highest profile and very reliable journalist said: “Negotiations between Wolves and Jules Lopetegui are progressing very well. Final details are now still under discussion – all parties are confident.”
He also stated that Lopetegui was the one to instigate new talks with Wolves.
Wanderers have just three games left to play before the season suspends for the World Cup in Qatar.
At the weekend it’s Brighton at Molineux, before the third round Carabao Cup match against Leeds United at Molineux.
Wolves then play their final game against Arsenal, again at home, on November 12.
Lopetegui is thought to be unlikely to be in charge for any of those games, even though he could be announced soon.
Julen Lopetegui is clearly very close to becoming Wolves’ new manager, as Fabrizio Romano gives update
The fact Romano has now shared the news about Lopetegui is a good sign.
He tends not to push transfer/manager stories unless there is a strong chance of them happening.
He says that ‘all parties are confident’ that the move will come to fruition, which makes for very encouraging reading.
Hopefully Wolves can just get this across the line now.
The quicker that happens, the better, as the mood will instantly lift because a top-class coach is coming in.
Just having that confirmation is bound to have a positive effect on the players and also the fans, even if he doesn’t oversee any of these last games before the World Cup.