According to The Telegraph journalist John Percy, Julen Lopetegui has decided he will not take up the vacant manager role at Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The Lowdown: Lopetegui’s managerial career
After a three-year period in charge at Sevilla, the 56-year-old was sacked by the Spanish club just last week.
Across 170 fixtures under Lopetegui, the La Liga outfit averaged 1.85 points per match, having finished third in the 2019/20 campaign and fourth in the back-to-back subsequent seasons.
However, due to Sevilla’s disappointing start to the new season, which saw them sat 17th in the league table, Lopetegui was dismissed after his side lost 4-1 to Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League last week.
The Latest: Percy’s news
Having held talks with Wolves over their vacant manager role, Percy has now shared a significant update on the Old Gold’s search for a new head coach.
Taking to Twitter, The Telegraph journalist revealed they will talk to other candidates imminently:
“As per Guillem Balague, Julen Lopetegui has reluctantly decided that he will not be taking over at Wolves, following talks over the last 24 hours. Wolves were informed this afternoon and are respectful of the decision. Club will now approach other candidates later this week.”
According to BBC Sport, the 56-year-old’s elderly father is unwell and that played an important part in his decision.
The Verdict: Blow for Wolves
Following Bruno Lage’s dismissal, Lopetegui was Wolves’ first choice option to take on the job.
Represented by agent Jorge Mendes, the appointment would have made sense due to his association with the Midlands club, which has seen a vast number of his clients make the move to the Wanderers.
Having to respect the former Sevilla coach’s decision, Wolves must now act quickly as they look to bring in a replacement to Molineux.
The club sit inside the relegation zone of the Premier League table, having recently just lost 3-0 to Chelsea under interim bosses Steve Davis and James Collins.