Wolves manager saga: Fosun eyeing move for Nuno Espirito Santo

Nuno left Portuguese giants Porto by mutual consent on Monday and the former goalkeeper has close links to Jorge Mendes and his Gestifute organisation.

A transfer involving Nuno was the first deal Mendes ever did and he remains the agent’s client.

The 43-year-old led Porto to second place in the Primeira Liga this season and upon leaving Estadio do Dragao has immediately come on Fosun’s radar.

However, unlikely target Marco Silva is no longer an option with the 39-year-old thought to be on the verge of being announced as Nuno’s successor at Porto.

Silva, who will quit Hull, has also been courted by Watford and although Wolves sounded him out it was never thought to be likely he would drop to the Championship.

It’s believed Fosun have now been looking at potential managerial targets for the past three weeks as they undertake a thorough review of the coaching structure at Molineux. Nuno, who played for Porto, began his managerial career in 2012 with Portuguese minnows Rio Ave, whom he guided to two domestic cup finals and a place in the Europa League for the first time in the club’s history in May 2014. Nuno left the club that summer to take charge at Valencia and led the Spanish giants to a fourth-place finish and Champions League football in his first season.

He resigned the following November with the club ninth in La Liga and was replaced a week later by former Manchester United and England defender Gary Neville. Nuno reappeared at the start of this season when he took the reins at Porto.

They reached the last 16 of this season’s Champions League where they were knocked out by eventual finalists Juventus and finished second in the league, six points behind Benfica.

Former Boro boss Aitor Karanka remains an option but the Spaniard is settled in the North East and is also being linked with the Sunderland and Hull jobs.