Wolverhampton Wanderers are poised to announce the appointment of Rob Edwards as their new manager on a three-and-a-half-year deal. The Premier League club reached an agreement with Middlesbrough, Edwards' current club, after initially having their approach rejected. A compensation package between £3-4 million was accepted by Middlesbrough, paving the way for Edwards to return to Molineux. A formal announcement is expected within the next 24-48 hours.
The move comes after Wolves parted ways with Vítor Pereira last Sunday following a poor start to the 2025-26 season. Pereira's tenure lasted only 45 days after signing a new three-year contract, as the team struggled with a winless run of eight defeats in their opening ten games. Wolves also explored the possibility of bringing back their former boss, Gary O'Neil, but he withdrew from discussions last Monday.
Edwards' appointment represents a homecoming for the 42-year-old, who played for Wolves between 2004 and 2008, making 111 appearances as a defender. He also has prior coaching experience at the club, having worked with the Under-18s and as a first-team coach before taking on an interim head coach role in 2016. Edwards also managed Wolves' academy and had an interim spell at the first team.
Middlesbrough, who hired Edwards in June on a three-year contract following Michael Carrick's dismissal, initially turned down Wolves' approach. However, after Edwards expressed his desire to speak with Wolves, the Championship club reluctantly agreed to terms. Middlesbrough released a statement saying, "Following discussions with Rob, we were disappointed to learn that he wanted to speak with Wolves regarding their head coach vacancy. We have now agreed terms with Wolves, subject to completion of the relevant paperwork". Edwards was stood down for Boro's Championship game against Birmingham on Saturday.
Edwards faces a significant challenge to turn Wolves' season around, as they are currently rooted to the bottom of the Premier League table. The team has struggled to score goals and keep clean sheets, and the new manager will be tasked with revitalizing the squad and steering them away from relegation.
Edwards' previous managerial experience includes leading Forest Green Rovers to promotion to League One in 2021 and Luton Town to Premier League promotion in 2023. He also had a short stint at Watford. Before joining Middlesbrough, Edwards left Luton Town by mutual agreement in January 2025. Middlesbrough are currently fourth in the Championship table. His past experiences position him as a coach capable of mounting promotion challenges.
