West Ham have confirmed the appointment of Nuno Espirito Santo as the club's new head coach, replacing Graham Potter just hours after the latter was sacked on Saturday. Nuno has agreed to personal terms with the east London club, and is expected to be officially unveiled as the Hammers new boss ahead of their Premier League clash with Everton on Monday. Potter was sacked after winning just six of his 25 games in charge.
Nuno expected to take over at West Ham imminently
Nuno, who left his position at Nottingham Forest earlier this month, will be in position to lead the Hammers at the Hill Dickinson Stadium on Monday night, and that he will take his first training session this weekend. He has signed a three-year contract.
“I am very pleased to be here and very proud to be representing West Ham United. My objective is to work hard to get the very best from the team and ensure that we are as competitive as we possibly can be,” the 51-year-old told the club's website.
"The work has already started and I am looking forward to the challenge that is ahead."
AdvertisementAFPPotter and staff dismissed for poor start to the season
In a statement released earlier on Saturday, West Ham confirmed the immediate dismissal of Potter and his entire backroom staff, clearing the decks for Nuno and his lieutenants ahead of Monday's game. Potter took over from Julen Loptegui in January of this year, with the Hammers in 14th place. The club remained in that position come the end of the 2024-25 season, but failed to kick on under the Englishman's stewardship. West Ham are currently in 19th place in the Premier League table, and the club were knocked out of the Carabao Cup by fellow strugglers Wolves.
A quick rebound for Nuno after Nottingham Forest departure
Nuno's departure from the City Ground immediately turned up the pressure on any struggling Premier League manager, as the Portuguese was forced out of the club after a falling out with owner Evangelos Marinakis. The 51-year-old's stock is at an all-time high, after he marshalled Forest to a seventh-placed finish in the top tier last term while they flirted with Champions League qualification for much of the campaign. Ironically, the Portuguese's last game in charge of the club was a 3-0 defeat at the hands of Potter's West Ham at the City Ground, the Hammers only win of the young season. The managerial position at the City Ground was filled by former Tottenham and Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou.
Getty Images SportNuno's Premier League record
Aside from a brief and unhappy spell at Tottenham, Nuno has consistently delivered results in the Premier League. After leading Wolves to a Championship title in 2017-18, the Portuguese authored two seventh-placed finishes for the club, laying the foundations for Wolves to remain in the Premier League ever since. After saving Forest from the drop in 2023-24, he again led a side to a top-seven finish, giving the club their first a taste of European football in more than 30 years.
