Wolves poised to make major academy appointment after shock U-turn

But a boardroom shake-up at Ibrox which saw Kevin Thelwell axed as sporting director last month has prompted a change of heart and he will instead stay in the Midlands, taking on a new role at Compton Park.

Hunter-Barrett, previously academy manager, will assume the new position of academy director, which was being recruited for by the club’s new technical director Matt Jackson.

The 35-year-old is thought to have held extensive conversations with Rangers before making his decision.

Smethwick-born Hunter-Barrett, who worked his way up through the ranks at Wolves having initially been employed on a part-time basis, is understood to have been enthused by the promise of a greater connection between academy and first-team in the new structure headed by Jackson and head coach Rob Edwards.

A highly-regarded figure at Compton Park, Wolves were equally happy for him to stay and take on a role with greater power.

Hunter-Barrett began his coaching career at Walsall as a teenager before following Mick Halsall to Wolves in 2011.

A Uefa A licence holder who also has a masters degree in sporting directorships, he was previously head of coaching before being appointed academy manager following Scott Sellars’ elevation to sporting director in 2021.

Thelwell, who himself held the role of sporting director at Wolves between 2016 and 2020, appeared to have successfully convinced Hunter-Barrett to make the switch to Rangers.

But the former’s sacking last week after just months in the role and ongoing off-field uncertainty at Ibrox has been key to the latter staying put at Wolves.