Next Liverpool manager: Thriving PL boss tipped for role amid suggestion he could coach Barcelona
Football finance expert Kieran Maguire believes Gary O’Neil “would be linked” with both the Liverpool and Barcelona jobs “if he was called O’Neillio,” but Wolves can “take advantage” if he stays with them.
O’Neil’s Wolves side have produced some quality performances this season. Indeed, they’ve beaten Chelsea twice, on top of victories over Tottenham and Manchester City.
That’s helped them to be right in the middle of the pack. Amid Liverpool and Barcelona managers Jurgen Klopp and Xavi leaving their roles, there’s a suggestion from Maguire that O’Neil could be in the thinking of either of those elite clubs, especially if he had an exotic name.
“Wolves have gone very quietly about their business this season,” Maguire told Football Insider.
“If Gary O’Neil was called ‘O’Neillio’ he would be linked with the managerial jobs at Liverpool and Barcelona.”
He’s not exactly massively overachieving with a Wolves side who are mid-table, having finished 13th, 10th and 13th again in the last three seasons.
That said, it might take a rise up the Premier League table for him to actually be considered for either of those roles. If that happens, Football365 believes he could be a future Liverpool manager, but maybe not one for right now.
If he’s not, with the financial backing that Wolves can be given, Maguire feels they could put themselves in a great position for years to come.
“He’s done a fantastic job this season. There is certainly the opportunity at Wolves for the club to take advantage of that success and cement themselves as part of the Premier League hierarchy,” Maguire added.
“They will be looking at expanding the capacity of Molineux and their opportunities to raise revenue to become more competitive.
“This money injection from Fosun [ownership group] – if used appropriately – can certainly be part of that.”
That money injection saw them splash a club-record fee of £44million on Matheus Cunha from Atletico Madrid in the summer.
The Brazil international has been a massive help to O’Neil’s side, having bagged nine goals and six assists in the Premier League this season, along with two goals and an assist in the FA Cup.
If that’s a sign of thing to come for Wolves, the upwards curve might well be on its way.