Wolves boss Vitor Pereira has been something of a cult hero since arriving at Molineux last December.
It was dark times under Gary O’Neil last season, with Wolves down in 19th coming into Christmas.
A change in staff would have the desired effect, as Vitor Pereira dragged Wolves out of the drop zone, finishing the season 17 points clear from relegation.
But following his heroics, the club hasn’t back Pereira in the transfer window, making his ambitions for Europe seem like a fantasy. And one stat about the Portuguese manager makes Fosun’s unwillingness to invest bemusing.
Vitor Pereira has the best winning percentage of any Wolves manager in the Premier League era
Even though his stint has been short-lived, Pereira’s 48% win rate is the best of any Wolves manager since the 1940s.
So, the ownership’s perceived hesitance to go for it with the new boss is as bewildering as it is frustrating for supporters of the club.
Pereira narrowly beats out Nuno Espirito Santo, whose win rate was just under the 48% mark. During his time at the club, they achieved wonderful success, including two seventh-place finishes in the league.
Nuno was backed in most seasons, and it stands to reason that the same should be true for Pereira.
Fosun’s miserly approach to the transfer window could derail Wolves and Vitor Pereira
Wolves have spent £67.9 million in this window. That’s good enough for 14th-highest in the Premier League. Doesn’t sound bad, right?
The missing context here is that Wolves sold their two best players from last season for almost £100 million combined. Not nearly enough has been done to compensate for the talent deficit left by Matheus Cunha, Rayan Ait-Nouri, and Nelson Semedo, who has left for free.
In comparison, the three promoted sides have all spent more. Burnley and Sunderland have spent a lot more.
Fosun’s sustainable approach has been mentioned in the past, but risking relegation with a manager who is clearly good enough to drive success doesn’t scream sustainable, and if the Premier League media cheques stop coming in, the Wolves ownership will look very silly indeed.