West Ham are expected to part company with Nuno Espírito Santo this week after their relegation from the Premier League. The manager has been called in for talks with the board and discussions are likely to end with the Portuguese leaving.
Nuno refused to talk about his future after West Ham’s descent into the Championship was confirmed on Sunday. The former Nottingham Forest manager’s three-year deal contains a clause that allows West Ham to sack him without paying compensation. Nuno is also free to walk away.
Club sources have said it is unlikely that Nuno wants to stay. Sources close to David Sullivan, the club’s largest shareholder, have said West Ham’s co-owner is also minded to make a change despite previously showing support for Nuno.
The former Wolves manager took over from Graham Potter last September but was unable to keep West Ham out of the bottom three. He was backed with funds in January but his confusing training methods and team selections did not sit well with some players.
West Ham will be looking for their fifth manager in two years if Nuno’s reign ends. Scott Parker, who recently left Burnley, and Strasbourg’s Gary O’Neil, formerly at Bournemouth and Wolves, are of interest.
Slaven Bilic, the former West Ham manager, was linked with the role before Nuno replaced Potter. Whoever takes charge will have to deal with a fire sale this summer. West Ham posted losses of £104.2m in the last financial year and may need up to bring in £150m in sales.
Jarrod Bowen, Crysencio Summerville, Mateus Fernandes, Tomas Soucek, Konstantinos Mavropanos, Taty Castellanos and Jean-Clair Todibo are likely to leave. Alphonse Areola is unlikely to have a future at the club after the goalkeeper’s wife used social media to criticise Potter and Nuno.
