Nottingham Forest have dismissed manager Nuno Espirito Santo, the Premier League club confirmed on Tuesday, following reports of a breakdown in his relationship with owner Evangelos Marinakis.
“Nottingham Forest Football Club confirms that, following recent circumstances, Nuno Espirito Santo has today been relieved of his duties as Head Coach,” the club said in a statement.
Espirito Santo, appointed in December 2023, guided Forest through a relegation battle in his first season before exceeding expectations in the 2024–25 campaign.
Forest spent several weeks in the top three last term and finished seventh after their best top-flight campaign in three decades. They also qualified for this season’s Europa League, marking their first European competition in 29 years.
“As someone who played a pivotal role in our success last season, he will always hold a special place in our journey,” the club added.
British media reported the sacking on Monday.
The 51-year-old, who previously managed Wolverhampton Wanderers and Tottenham Hotspur, was given a contract extension until 2028 in June. However, cracks in his relationship with the club’s ownership had begun to show despite the promising results.
At a press conference last month, he addressed speculation over his future, saying there was “no smoke without fire” and that he and Marinakis rarely spoke.
Following a 2-2 Premier League draw with Leicester City in May, Greek shipping magnate Marinakis stormed onto the pitch and exchanged words with Espirito Santo. Forest later dismissed reports of a heated confrontation as “fake news”.
In recent weeks, Espirito Santo was also vocal about his dissatisfaction with the club’s transfer business, stating that his squad was “unbalanced” and needed reinforcements in key areas.
The club have signed James McAtee, Omari Hutchinson, Arnaud Kalimuendo and Douglas Luiz in recent months, while also managing to keep hold of midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White amid reported interest from Tottenham.
Forest suffered a 3-0 home defeat to West Ham last month and are currently 10th in the standings. They travel to Arsenal on Saturday.
