Several English media had previously speculated about Lopetegui’s departure, now it’s official: on Tuesday evening, the Wolves confirmed the immediate separation, which had come about “by mutual agreement”. “Although our aim was to start the new season together, it is common knowledge that there were differences of opinion on a number of key issues,” said sporting director Matt Hobbs. It was therefore agreed “that it would be best to separate”.
Those “key issues” were probably mainly different views on the club’s behavior in the transfer market. Lopetegui is said to have shown and expressed increasing dissatisfaction with the economic situation of his club in recent weeks. To such an extent that club officials were concerned the coach’s frustration would rub off on the team.
Wolves are in dire need of transfer earnings to meet UEFA’s Financial Fair Play requirements. Accordingly, the club gave up quality – for example with captain Ruben Neves (55 million euros, Al-Hilal) – but held back when it came to newcomers.
Lopetegui has experience with short-term breakups
So now the separation followed a few days before the opening match against Manchester United – not the first experience of this kind for the 56-year-old. In 2018 he had to resign as national coach of Spain shortly before the start of the World Cup after his agreement with Real Madrid became public.
Lopetegui had worked in Wolverhampton for around nine months and was successful. In November 2022, he took over the bottom position at the time and still managed to stay up in the league. A few weeks before his engagement in England, he was released from Sevilla FC, with whom he won the Europa League in 2020.
How things will continue at Wolverhampton is still unclear. The media had recently speculated about Gary O’Neil as a potential successor. The 40-year-old ex-pro last kept AFC Bournemouth in the Premier League but is currently looking for a club.
