Wolves are set to offer Gary O'Neil a new contract after an excellent season in which he emerged as a contender for Manager of the Year.
O'Neil is expected to begin negotiations on a long-term deal towards the end of the season, with the club's hierarchy set to include an improved salary and a significant buyout clause.
The former midfielder has guided Wolves to an FA Cup quarter-final and opened up the prospect of European football next season after seven months in charge at Molineux.
After a difficult summer, Wolves supporters feared a relegation battle following the departure of Julen Lopetegui and an exodus of players totaling more than £140 million.
Yet O'Neil, 40, has made a huge impact in just his second managerial job and faces Fulham this weekend with a European spot in his sights.
Wolves sporting director Matt Hobbs has confirmed that talks over a new contract will start soon, replacing the current terms which run until 2026.
'I saw him linked to the job in England'
Hobbs also admitted that O'Neil's work will have put him on the radar of rival clubs.
"That [the contract] is obviously where this is going, he's done well enough to have that conversation," he said.
"It is certainly an unavoidable situation that we find ourselves in in the summer.
"I saw him linked with the England job. I understand, and I wouldn't be surprised if clubs were looking at him. We have worked hard over the past year to have a replacement ready when he leaves.
"Brighton has done brilliantly in recent years. "We're going to work on other head coaches, not because we want Gary to leave, but because that's the smartest thing to do."
It was early August when Wolves first met O'Neil, when it became clear that Lopetegui was unwilling to move on.
Hobbs immediately saw something 'special'. O'Neil gave a three-hour presentation in London, giving a very detailed overview of his plans and playing style.
In that presentation he also outlined his work at previous club Bournemouth, who controversially dismissed him in June. He highlighted his management of individual players and how he would improve this at Wolves.
The story continues
Another aspect that impressed Hobbs was O'Neil's vision for the future, and how he would transition over the next two to three years.
"It's about opportunity and a little faith in someone," Hobbs says. "Gary was frustrated after what happened at Bournemouth and I think he felt it was unfair, but that's football and it happens.
"He's got that personality. He started playing golf and finished as a plus-four golfer. Everything he does, he does to the utmost."
Hobbs spoke to many former players and coaches and received a glowing recommendation from Michael Edwards, Liverpool's ex-sporting director.
The collaboration between Edwards and O'Neil dates back to 2003 in Portsmouth. Edwards was a performance analyst and O'Neil was still playing. But even then, O'Neil began to become more interested in the emerging powers of data and statistics.
When he retired in 2019, management was always the target. His first coaching job was an under-9s team at Beckenham.
O'Neil studied for his Uefa Pro-License under the guidance of the Irish Football Association: former Canada manager John Herdman, Stiliyan Petrov and Hibernian's head coach Nick Montgomery were also on the course.
The bond with Edwards continued and he got the job at Liverpool's academy working with the under-23s.
Six months later he was appointed to Bournemouth's backroom team before taking the No.1 job following the dismissal of Scott Parker. Relegation was avoided after five wins in seven games, but he was sacked shortly after the end of the season in a brutal phone call at 6am.
When he was appointed to Wolves there was some initial negativity, but it soon became clear that he was all about business.
'Gary has given me more self-confidence'
Pedro Neto, one of Wolves stars of the season, says O'Neil made an instant impact and eased the tension immediately after Lopetegui's shock departure.
"We lost a lot of players last summer and at first it was difficult and, I'm not going to lie, the players who stayed said 'hmm, okay'," he says.
"When Lopetegui left I thought 'who's coming next' and a few days after Gary arrived the dressing room wasn't worried.
"He is a manager who tells the players he has their backs. A player who has confidence is a different player: I've always had it, but Gary has given me even more."
It was the 2-1 win over Manchester City on September 30 that arguably marked the start of O'Neil's tenure.
At the time he described it as his biggest victory in management, and he got his tactics right against the Treble winners.
O'Neil switched to a back-three, with two wing-backs, and brought on Craig Dawson to mark Erling Haaland, while Toti performed a similar task on Phil Foden.
Matheus Cunha's role was also crucial, allowing Wolves to move from defensive block to attack, shielding the lynchpin in City midfielder Mateo Kovacic.
Other notable wins and tactically astute performances followed, including the doubles against Tottenham and Chelsea. During those away games, the foundation was laid on a strong defensive organization and high press pressure.
Wolves insiders are pointing to the fact that O'Neil has achieved so much without a full pre-season, so there is already buzz about the next campaign.
He improves players and wants them to be able to adapt in their positions. He does a lot of work at home and watches clips to find solutions for his team.
His door is always open to them and he likes to keep in touch with the players outside the training field. When Mario Lemina's father passed away in December, O'Neil instructed him to have as much free time as he needed.
A boost for English football
Paris St-Germain's £4.5million signing Pablo Sarabia was unhappy with his lack of playing time late last year and made his frustration public on Instagram.
O'Neil used Sarabia's disappointment as something positive and held discussions with the winger about where he could make more of an impact in matches.
With Wolves still hopeful of a top eight finish, O'Neil's reputation continues to rise. He will point to the support of his coaching staff, while the move to reappoint Phil Hayward as head of High Performance is seen as a major coup.
Yet it is the football-obsessed O'Neil who has transformed Wolves' culture. He is often seen on his laptop while on the train from his home in Kent to Wolverhampton, and he never stops thinking about the next challenge.
At a time when other former players of his generation are struggling technically, such as Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard, O'Neil's impact is a boost for English football.
A future English manager? It cannot be ruled out.
"Gary's attention to detail and work ethic is incredible," says Hobbs. "He is incredibly meticulous. When we met him we thought maybe there was something special about him. He didn't do anything to get rid of that."
