sport news Julen Lopetegui is tipped to replace sacked Bruno Lage at Wolves trends now
As a former coach of both Spain and Real Madrid and the winner of a major European trophy, Julen Lopetegui has the credentials to become a successful Premier League manager.
The former goalkeeper is a prominent target for Wolves as they seek a successor to Bruno Lage, who was sacked last Sunday, and Lopetegui has wanted to move to England for some time.
He has also worked with Ruben Neves at Porto, and the Wolves skipper has described Lopetegui as a ‘special coach’.
Sevilla are reportedly on the brink of sacking their manager Julen Lopetegui after a poor start
The Spanish chief is tipped to succeed Bruno Lage after he was dismissed by Wolves this week
Yet something has gone badly wrong at Sevilla this season, to the extent Lopetegui finds himself on the brink of the sack.
Jorge Sampaoli has been identified as his replacement and is expected to start his second stint as boss in time for Saturday’s game against Athletic Bilbao in La Liga.
Lopetegui’s team have won only once in the league this term and are above the relegation zone on goal difference alone. Ahead of Wednesday’s Champions League clash with Borussia Dortmund – tipped by many to be Lopetegui’s final game at the helm – they are bottom of their group with one point from two games.
After winning the Europa League in 2020 and finishing fourth in LaLiga in each of the last two seasons, it has been quite a slump.
Lopetegui has looked out of answers and out of petrol, and Spanish sources wonder whether he would have the energy for another big job so soon.
Sevilla's clash against Borussia Dortmund is expected to be Lopetegui's final match in charge
Yet if Sevilla’s season is taken in isolation, he is not to blame for many of the problems they have.
He has an ageing, lop-sided squad and lost both his first-choice central defenders, Diego Carlos and Jules Kounde, over the summer, as well as wide attacker Lucas Ocampos.
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