Nottingham Forest Football Club has officially announced the departure of Head Coach Nuno Espírito Santo, ending a 21-month tenure that saw the club reach historic heights and face internal challenges.
The decision comes just three games into the 2025/26 Premier League season, following weeks of speculation and public comments from both Nuno and club ownership that revealed a growing rift. Despite leading Forest to their highest league finish in three decades and securing Europa League qualification last season, tensions between Nuno and co-owner Evangelos Marinakis escalated over the summer, particularly around transfer strategy and squad readiness.
In a statement released early Tuesday morning, the club expressed gratitude for Nuno’s contributions: “Nottingham Forest Football Club confirms that, following recent circumstances, Nuno Espírito Santo has today been relieved of his duties as Head Coach. The Club thanks Nuno for his contribution during a very successful era at The City Ground, in particular his role in the 2024/25 season, which will forever be remembered fondly in the history of the club.”
Sources close to the club suggest that the appointment of Edu Gaspar as Global Head of Football in July may have further strained relations, limiting Nuno’s influence over player recruitment.
Forest currently sit mid-table after a 3–0 defeat to West Ham United, and the search for a successor is already underway. Early contenders include former Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou, Fulham’s Marco Silva, and ex-Fenerbahçe boss José Mourinho.