West Ham United have named Nuno Espirito Santo as their new manager, just hours after parting ways with Graham Potter on Saturday.
Nuno, who signed a three-year deal, will take charge of his first match on Monday away at Everton. The Portuguese coach arrives at the London Stadium after being dismissed by Nottingham Forest earlier this season, following a clash with owner Evangelos Marinakis over transfers.
“I am very pleased to be here and very proud to be representing West Ham United,” Nuno, 51, said. “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 work has already started and I am looking forward to the challenge that is ahead.”
Nuno built his reputation at Wolves, guiding them into the Premier League and establishing them as a stable top-flight side before a brief and turbulent stint at Tottenham. At Forest, he won plaudits for steering the club into European competition for the first time in three decades, finishing seventh last season.
Potter’s sacking had been anticipated after a dismal run that left the Hammers second bottom of the Premier League table. Hired in January, the former Chelsea and Brighton boss managed just six wins in 25 matches. His final game, a home defeat to Crystal Palace, proved decisive.
In a statement, the club said: “Results and performances over the course of the second half of last season and the start of the 2025/26 season have not matched expectations. The board of directors believe that a change is necessary in order to help improve the team’s position in the Premier League as soon as possible.”
Potter admitted his disappointment in his own statement, saying: “I am incredibly disappointed to be leaving West Ham United Football Club, particularly without being able to achieve what we set out to achieve at the start of our journey in East London. I do however fully acknowledge that the results have just not been good enough up to now.”
Despite a summer outlay on eight new signings, West Ham have endured a miserable start, losing five of their six matches this season. Their only highlight, a 3-0 victory over Nottingham Forest, was undone by heavy defeats to Tottenham and Palace.
Nuno now faces the task of reviving a side that has chewed through managers quickly, Potter following Julen Lopetegui and David Moyes in rapid succession.
What you should know
West Ham’s appointment of Nuno Espirito Santo signals a bid to steady a club in crisis after another failed managerial stint.
Nuno’s track record at Wolves and Forest shows he can build competitive teams, but the challenge at West Ham is steep, with the club already entrenched near the bottom of the Premier League.
