Nottingham Forest has confirmed that Nuno Espírito Santo has been relieved of his duties as head coach, just three games into the 2025–26 Premier League season. The departure, formally announced on September 9, 2025, marks a sudden end to a tenure that had once looked deeply promising.
The club’s concise statement, shared via social media, said: “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. As someone who played a pivotal role in our success last season, he will always hold a special place in our journey.”
Nuno, 51, took over as manager of Nottingham Forest in December 2023, replacing Steve Cooper. In his initial months, he steered the club away from relegation during the 2023–24 season.
His second campaign proved transformative: Forest enjoyed their best Premier League finish in three decades, ending seventh in the table, and earning qualification for European competition for the first time since 1995–96.
In June 2025, the club rewarded Nuno with a contract extension through 2028—a sign of confidence in his leadership and the progress he had delivered.
However, underlying tensions had been brewing. Reports suggest disagreements with the club’s owner, Evangelos Marinakis, and the newly appointed global head of football, Edu Gaspar, escalated over the summer. Nuno had publicly lamented the squad’s state, describing it as “unbalanced” and “very, very far” from ideal. He also acknowledged his changed relationship with Marinakis, saying in August that it was “not the same” and “not so good as it was.”
According to reports, one flashpoint was a tense episode following a draw against Leicester City, during which Marinakis allegedly confronted Nuno on the pitch—a claim the club later denied but which nevertheless added to the narrative of a fractured relationship.
While on-field performance early in the season was not disastrous—Forest had collected four points from their first three matches—a particularly poor 3–0 home loss to West Ham United proved costly.
Reports characterize the dismissal as the result of “tensions” and a breakdown in trust, rather than purely performance-based. The club’s leadership, notably Marinakis, is said to have lost confidence in Nuno’s approach and public commentary. In sum, the decision reflects a dramatic shift from the heights of last season to internal strife, illustrating the often fragile balance between success on the pitch and alignment off it.
With their Europa League campaign on the horizon, Nottingham Forest are already seeking a successor. Ange Postecoglou, recently sacked by Tottenham Hotspur despite leading them to a Europa League title, is widely reported as the leading candidate. His personal rapport with Marinakis and reputation for revitalizing clubs make him a compelling option.
Other names being mentioned in the mix include Jose Mourinho, Marco Silva, Oliver Glasner, Mauricio Pochettino, Andoni Iraola, and Brendan Rodgers.
Nuno leaves a Forest side transformed—steered clear of relegation, invigorated with European promise, and revived in form. His managerial record at the club stands at 32 wins, 15 draws, and 26 losses from 73 games. His multiple Premier League Manager of the Month awards—including a rare streak of three in one season—underline his impact.