Nottingham Forest have sacked head coach Nuno Espirito Santo, making him the first managerial casualty of the Premier League season. The announcement came shortly after midnight on Tuesday, less than three weeks into the new campaign.
“The club thanks Nuno for his contribution during a very successful era,” read a Forest statement. “In particular, his role in the 2024/25 season will forever be remembered fondly in the history of the club.”
Nuno, 51, took charge in December 2023 following the dismissal of Steve Cooper and steered Forest to safety. Last season he delivered the club’s highest league finish since 1994/95, guiding them to seventh place and securing a first European berth in 30 years.
Initially placed in the Conference League, Forest were later promoted to the Europa League after Crystal Palace were demoted for breaching UEFA’s multi-club ownership rules. The club hailed the Portuguese as a “pivotal figure” in that success.
Despite the achievements, Nuno’s relationship with owner Evangelos Marinakis had visibly deteriorated. Cracks first appeared in May when Marinakis was seen confronting him on the pitch after a 2-2 draw with Leicester, though the club dismissed suggestions of a row as “fake news”.
Over the summer, tensions grew further as Nuno criticised the club’s transfer policy. Thirteen players arrived under the guidance of new sporting director Edu Gaspar, but key departures such as Anthony Elanga and Danilo left the coach lamenting an “unbalanced” squad.
“I always had a very good relationship with the owner,” Nuno admitted last month. “Last season we were very close and spoke on a daily basis. This season it is not so well. Everybody at the club should be together but this is not the reality.”
He later suggested the pair would meet during the international break to resolve matters, but British media report that the meeting never took place. Marinakis instead decided a change was necessary.
Forest are 10th in the Premier League with four points from three matches but were beaten 3-0 by struggling West Ham in Nuno’s final game.
Attention now turns to his replacement. Former Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou is among those linked, alongside Crystal Palace’s Oliver Glasner and Bournemouth’s Andoni Iraola. Edu Gaspar and chief football officer Ross Wilson will oversee the appointment process.
Forest’s next fixture is away to Arsenal on 13 September.
