Vitor Pereira interview: Head coach definitive on Wolves future

Wolves have so far only signed Fer Lopez, but senior forward Jhon Arias will soon follow him as his medical will take place in the coming days.

Pereira is keen to get more signings over the line as soon as possible and recent comments about that - alongside bogus social media claims about a rift with the Wolves hierarchy - concerned some supporters who were drawing comparisons with Julen Lopetegui and his decision to leave in the summer of 2023.

In a sit down interview with the Express & Star during Wolves' pre-season camp in Portugal, Pereira was asked directly if he can guarantee fans he will not walk away from the club and the head coach gave a confident and definitive answer.

"No, this is impossible for me, this is impossible," Pereira said.

"This is impossible because of the connection between us, I can't leave this project. This is my club, this is my family and I will fight with all my heart for Wolverhampton. Believe me, this is what I am.

"I know myself, at the end of the market maybe I will be not happy, maybe disappointed. I hope not, because I believe in the people that they are working hard to give us (players). 

"We cannot do miracles, we need players. We need to compete with Manchester City, Arsenal. This is our league.

"We are not competing just with the clubs that are coming from the Championship. Even these clubs, they are spending a lot of money, they are investing a lot of money. It means that the next league will be very, very tough for us.

"It means that we need to bring players, good players with character. 

"I want players that I know that at the end of the game, we cannot control the result, but in the end of the game we are proud of ourselves because we fight, we give everything. Because this is the heart of the people in Wolverhampton."

Pereira, who arrived in December and helped save the club from relegation, only has a year left on his contract.

It is expected that Wolves will open negotiations over a new deal and although Pereira was coy when asked about it, he was also relaxed and praised the 'respect' and relationships he has with people in the club.

"I'm not worried about the contract," Pereira added.

"When I feel that people respect me, when I feel the friendship of the people, when I go in the pub, when I go in the streets, and when I feel that the people in the club are on the same page as me, I don't care. I'm OK.

"We are talking about signing another contract, we'll see. But I'm not worried about this, I just want, like you, like the supporters, I just want to have the tools to fight."

Wolves need several more signings after losing a handful of players this summer and Pereira admits there is plenty of work to do in the transfer window.

It is understood Pereira is targeting wing-backs, a midfielder and a forward to bolster his options.

Pereira reiterates that every head coach wants signings sooner rather than later, but also insists the club are trying to make that a reality.

"The club knows what (we need), because before we went on holidays, we worked a lot to find the solutions and to understand what we need to increase our level," Pereira said.

"They know the position, they know the profile. They are trying to do it, but I understand.

"The timing of a manager is not the timing of the market, because a manager wants to have the players as soon as possible to start to work and to prepare them for the first game. 

"But the timing of the market, the timing of the business is not my world. The club is trying."

"If it's my decision, when I start the first day, I have all the players with me," Pereira added with a chuckle.

"But about business, I don't understand anything. I understand when the people in the club are trying to find the right moment to sign the players. 

"Of course, I'm a bit impatient. Now it's like I'm a supporter! 

"I'm impatient because I want to see my team with the players that I'm looking at in the future. These players give me the confidence to fight and to compete with all the teams."

Pereira took over a team that was struggling in the relegation zone last season and, alongside some strong January signings, he masterminded an escape.

The head coach now wants to see an improvement and look up the table - but admits Wolves will need another year before making a bigger leap forward.

When asked for his expectations of the upcoming season, Pereira said: "To consolidate the club in the middle of the table without thinking about relegation and looking for the next step. 

"I think we need a next step. I'm not a dreamer, I put in my mind the next target. 

"The next target is to consolidate the team in the middle of the table, but looking at the teams in front of us and to think about the next step, to be one of them, to fight for something else.

"In my opinion, we need one more year to consolidate the team in the middle of the table and after we can think about something else."