Wolves Set to Appoint Edwards as Head Coach Amid Challenging Season

According to David Ornstein of The Athletic, Wolverhampton Wanderers are close to appointing Michael Edwards as their new head coach. Wolves and Middlesbrough have reached an agreement on a compensation package worth around £2 million (€2.3 million/$2.6 million).

Edwards is now preparing to assemble his coaching staff. The move would mark a return to Wolves for him. He played for the club as a centre-back from 2004 to 2008. During that time, he made 111 appearances and scored one goal.

Edwards also served as Wolves’ interim manager in 2016. In that short spell, he oversaw a 1-1 draw against Blackburn Rovers and a 3-2 defeat to Derby County. After Paul Lambert took over as permanent manager, Edwards continued as part of the first-team coaching staff.

This new appointment is considered a strategic decision for Wolves. The club wants Edwards to stabilize the squad and improve performances. The main objective is to avoid relegation from the Premier League this season. If relegation does occur, the expectation is that Edwards will lead a strong promotion campaign from the Championship in 2025–26.

Edwards brings experience from both the Premier League and Championship. He guided Luton Town to Premier League promotion via the 2022–23 Championship play-offs. Under his leadership in the Premier League, Luton earned 26 points before finishing in 18th place.

Meanwhile, Middlesbrough have also been performing well under Edwards. They currently sit second in the Championship table, five points behind Coventry City. However, Edwards did not lead the team during their recent 2-1 win over Birmingham City, as speculation over his move to Wolves increased.

Wolves’ poor start to the 2025–26 season created urgency. They remain the only club in England’s top four divisions without a league victory. They have recorded nine losses and two draws from their opening eleven matches. As a result, Vitor Pereira was dismissed only 45 days after signing a new three-year contract.

In the interim period, U21 manager James Collins and U18 manager Richard Walker took charge of the team during a 3-0 defeat to Chelsea.

If the appointment is finalized, Edwards is expected to make his Wolves managerial debut against Crystal Palace on Saturday, 22 November. A West Midlands derby against Aston Villa will follow on 30 November. The team will then host Nottingham Forest on 3 December and Manchester United on 8 December.