Assistant boss poised to leave Wolves for Championship rivals

Assistant boss Rui Pedro Silva is poised to leave Wolves and re-join Nuno Espirito Santo at West Ham.

Silva will not be part of Cesar Peixoto’s backroom team after choosing to depart Molineux for a second time and join their Championship rivals.

The 49-year-old previously spent four years at the club as assistant to Nuno between 2017 and 2021.

He returned last November after Rob Edwards was appointed head coach but there was always an expectation he would assess his future again this summer.

Edwards’ sacking last month, following the club’s relegation from the Premier League, meant his departure has come as little surprise.

He will now reunite with Nuno, with whom he also worked at Rio Ave, Valencia and Porto before moving to Wolves the first time nine years ago.

Silva was also with Nuno at Nottingham Forest before they were both axed last September, though he did not join his Portuguese compatriot in moving to the Hammers.

Together they will now attempt to mastermind an immediate return to the Premier League with Wolves aiming to be among their biggest rivals.

Peixoto has been tasked with leading the Black Country club’s promotion push and confirmation of his own backroom team is expected shortly.

The 46-year-old intends to bring many of those who worked with him in his most recent job at Gil Vicente to the Midlands.

Peixoto, who has never managed outside Portugal before, is eager to get up and running as quickly as possible and sees pre-season as key to laying the foundations for a successful campaign.

Those players who did not play at the World Cup will report back to Compton Park next week, with the squad then heading to Portugal for a warm weather training camp.

Wolves play their first friendly at Maidenhead United on Wednesday, July 22.