Wolves Safe as Pereira Impresses, While Vitinha’s Premier League Struggles Revisited
Wolves are all but guaranteed Premier League survival for next season, thanks in large part to the steady hand of Vítor Pereira. Since taking the reins earlier in the campaign, the Portuguese manager has brought stability and belief to a side that had been hovering dangerously close to the drop zone.
Pereira stepped in to replace Gary O’Neil and has quickly adjusted to the demands of English football. Under his leadership, Wolves have hit a strong run of form, including a statement 4-2 win over Tottenham Hotspur in their most recent outing. Next, they travel to Old Trafford where they’ll face Manchester United, hoping to continue their momentum.
While things are looking up for Wolves now, it’s a different story when reflecting on one of their past midfield gambles—Vitinha. The Portuguese midfielder, now thriving at Paris Saint-Germain, struggled to make an impression during his loan stint at Molineux in the 2020/21 season.
Vitinha, now capped 27 times for Portugal, has become a key cog in PSG’s midfield since joining the French giants in 2022. But back in his Wolves days, the 25-year-old never quite found his rhythm. He made 22 appearances under then-manager Nuno Espírito Santo, scoring just once, and was ultimately not signed permanently—despite the option to do so for around £17 million.
Former Wolves defender Romain Saïss recently spoke to French outlet L’Équipe about Vitinha’s time in England, explaining that while his technical skills were always impressive, he initially lacked the physical presence needed to compete in the Premier League.
“Technically, he was already very good,” Saïss said. “But he wasn’t strong enough in duels back then. In England, if you’re not physically resilient, you get bulldozed—especially with the way referees let play go. That was his main weakness. Even in training, he’d try one touch too many and boom—he’d lose the ball. But he worked hard.”
Marçal, another former teammate, echoed that sentiment. “The coach was hard on him. Vitinha did amazing things in training, but couldn’t convince Nuno. He wanted him to keep it simple—release the ball quicker. Vitinha tried to adapt but didn’t want to lose what made him special.”
Vitinha’s path since leaving Wolves has vindicated his self-belief. PSG scooped him up after a strong return to FC Porto, and he’s since helped them push deep into the Champions League. Reflecting on his time in England, Marçal revealed an insightful conversation: “I once asked him what his next step was. He told me: ‘I’ll go back to Porto, crush it there, then join one of the top eight clubs in Europe.’ At the time, I thought he was dreaming—he wasn’t even starting regularly for Wolves. But he wasn’t crazy. He believed it, and he made it happen.”
Ultimately, Vitinha’s stint at Molineux wasn’t a success—not due to a lack of talent, but because of a clash of styles, competition from the likes of Ruben Neves, and the natural difficulty of adapting to a new country and league at such a young age.
Now, with Wolves looking forward and Vitinha soaring abroad, it’s a story of what might have been—but also a reminder that sometimes, a player just needs the right environment to thrive.