Wolves are said to be closing in on Julen Lopetegui, after recently holding fresh talks with the free agent.
Wanderers have reignited their pursuit of the 56-year-old, having been turned down by him only a few weeks ago.
Lopetegui had seemingly ended the club’s hopes of getting him for a second time, due to wanting to spend time with his family and poorly father.
But Wolves are now back in contact with him, and there is a feeling that the deal will get done.
Fans on social media were delighted by the development on Tuesday night.
Many have been clamouring for the club to replace Bruno Lage with a permanent head coach.
Initially, Wolves had said Steve Davis would be taking the team on an interim basis until 2023.
But it looks as though Wolves are ready to U-turn on that decision, with Lopetegui seemingly now keen to come to Molineux.
A lot of good things have been said about Lopetegui, despite his recent sacking by Sevilla.
It was felt he had just naturally reached the end of his cycle there, and his reputation is still strong.
Lopetegui made a big impression on the players at Sevilla, including Ivan Rakitic who returned to the club from Barcelona a couple of years ago.
He was a regular pick in the midfield under Lopetegui, and was gutted by his sacking recently.
He said after the Champions League defeat to Borussia Dortmund: “A champion manager is leaving. An incredible manager in terms of knowledge, but also as a person. This is a very tough day for us, and we must thank him a lot. That is why we are so sad, but also united today.”
Earlier this year, the Guardian quoted Rakitic as saying that he was ‘sure Lopetegui explains tactics to his wife and daughter when he gets home’.
Ivan Rakitic comments suggest Julen Lopetegui will be a fantastic coup for Wolves
Rakitic’s previous comments about Lopetegui should have Wolves fans excited. When you get a top, experienced player saying things like this, it is more meaningful.
Clearly, the man is a very talented coach. But by many accounts he is a great person as well, and that is going to count for a lot if he takes this job as expected.
The Wolves dressing room is not in the best place at the moment.
There isn’t much leadership there anymore, and it has seemed as though there is a lack of belief and confidence about these players. Many are playing within themselves.
Lopetegui appears to be an ‘arm-around-the-shoulder’ type of manager, which could be precisely what’s needed at this moment in time.
But it sounds very much as though he can also be an intense ‘details man’ too, so the players could really take to him if he can get his messages across effectively.