Wolves will hold further talks with Julen Lopetegui on Monday as they look to make the ex-Real Madrid and Spain boss their next manager.
Lopetegui, 56, was Wolves' owners Fosun's No.1 target when they initially took over the club in 2016 and was on the verge of taking charge - before his country came calling.
Now, six years later, he is once more the man that they want. This time to replace Bruno Lage following his dismissal at the beginning of the month after the side's dreadful start to the season. That continued at Chelsea on Saturday, as the Black Country outfit fell to a 3-0 defeat, with Under-18 boss Steve Davis in caretaker charge.
Lopetegui himself was sacked by La Liga side Sevilla last week, after their own disappointing start to the new term.
The Spaniards, whom Lopetegui led to Europa League success in 2020, looked like being Real Madrid's main title challengers at the start of 2022, but fell away at the end of last season amid too many draws - although they still managed to make the Champions League.
After a summer where they lost a number of key players for big money - including centre-back pairing Jules Kounde and Diego Carlos - and failed to recruit well, Lopetegui became the fall guy for higher ups as they fell towards the relegation zone. He was eventually dismissed just minutes after the side's thrashing by Borussia Dortmund last Wednesday, but was bid a fond farewell by fans, who have pointed the finger of blame for the club's current issues at the board.
Lopetegui has long been keen to test himself in the Premier League and rehabilitated his reputation in Spain at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan after a disappointing short spell at Real Madrid - having been sacked by the national team for agreeing to take charge at the Santiago Bernabeu on the eve of the 2018 World Cup.
Wolves are hoping to be in a position to name their new manager this week, as they bid to turn the page on their dismal season; they've picked up just six points from a possible 27, scoring only three times in nine games.
Lopetegui is seen as the ideal candidate to turn things around, widely heralded for his ability to improve players with his coaching methods and to mould successful teams, having previously won trophies with Spain's Under-21 side too.
He is understood to have intimated that he does want to get back to working soon.
But having lived away from much of his family while working in Seville, he has also been keen for some time with them before committing to a new project. He is currently back in San Sebastian visiting his father, Jose, a record-breaking former stonelifter - who competed under the name Aguerre II - who is 91 and has been unwell.
Wolves have been keen to give him time, but are aware that they don't themselves have any to waste, with matches coming thick and fast in the coming month. They want Lopetegui and his coaching staff, and will have more talks to see whether he, and they, are ready to move to England immediately.
However, there is wariness at the possibility that he could elect to take time away from the game, with his family, and instead wait to see what jobs become available in 2023. Lopetegui is intense, and it's been suggested that some inside his inner circle believe a break would greatly benefit both he and his staff. If that is the case, Wolves will need to move onto Plan B and quickly.
Davis and Under-21 coach James Collins will continue to lead first-team training at Wolves ' Compton training base this week and could still be in charge for the visit of Nottingham Forest to Molineux next weekend.
