Nuno Espírito Santo extends Nottingham contract, aiming for Premier League success

This is the result of a whirlwind. Nuno Espírito Santo (51) has signed a three-year contract extension with Nottingham Forest.

The club announced on the 21st (Korea time) through its official website, "Manager Nuno has signed a new contract. We are very pleased to announce this fact. He received a three-year contract from club owner Evangelos Marinakis ahead of the 2025-2026 season."

Additionally, Nottingham explained, "Manager Nuno excellently led the team during the 2024-2025 season, guiding the club to its best league performance in 30 years. Furthermore, he secured qualification for a UEFA European competition for the first time since the 1995-1996 season. Last season, Manager Nuno achieved away victories against Liverpool and Manchester United, which had not occurred in 55 years and 30 years, respectively."

Recognized for his leadership, Manager Nuno noted, "I am happy to continue our journey at this fantastic football club. Since arriving at Nottingham, I have worked very hard to create a special bond among the players, fans, and everyone in the club. This has greatly helped us achieve significant success last season."

He added, "I appreciate the ongoing support from Owner Marinakis. It is important for me to share a good relationship with the owner, and we have really enjoyed working together since my arrival at Nottingham. Now is the time for us to work harder than ever to create even more special memories together."

Manager Nuno is a seasoned coach on the European stage. Starting as a goalkeeper coach, he began his managerial career in 2012 with Rio Ave (Portugal) and later managed Valencia, FC Porto, and Wolverhampton, among others. Notably, he led Wolverhampton for four seasons starting in 2017, achieving promotion to the Premier League, a seventh-place finish in the league, and reaching the quarter-finals of the UEFA Europa League (UEL).

He is also a familiar figure to Korean fans, having temporarily coached Son Heung-min when he joined Tottenham in the summer of 2021. However, his time with Tottenham did not last long.

At that time, Manager Nuno started smoothly, receiving the manager of the month award in August, but as feared, he fell into the worst slump. Tottenham was ineffective in both offense and defense, suffering a 0-3 defeat against Manchester United and plummeting to eighth place. Ultimately, Manager Nuno was dismissed after 5 losses in 10 league games, less than four months into his tenure.

He is the manager who oversaw the fewest matches in Tottenham's history before being dismissed. He returned as a manager in 2022 by taking the helm of Saudi Arabian powerhouse Al-Ittihad, leading the team to success in the Saudi Professional League, outpacing Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Hilal. However, the joy was short-lived as he was dismissed mid-season due to poor performance and rumors of discord.

The break was not long. Manager Nuno made his Premier League return in October 2023 when he took over at Nottingham. Stepping in as a firefighter, he achieved his goal of keeping Nottingham in the league despite the setback of point deductions.

This season has been even more remarkable. Under Manager Nuno's guidance, Nottingham boasted solid defense and sharp counterattacks, creating a 'storm' in the Premier League. Nottingham even defeated several big clubs and ranked third in the league until mid-season. Qualifying for the UEFA Champions League (UCL) was not merely a dream.

However, Nottingham slid sharply towards the end of the season, leaving some disappointment. In the last eight league games, they recorded 2 wins, 4 draws, and 4 losses, finishing the season with 19 wins, 8 draws, and 11 losses, ultimately placing seventh. As a result, Nottingham secured a spot in next season's UEFA Europa Conference League and reached the semifinals in the FA Cup.

Owner Marinakis also rewarded Manager Nuno with a three-year contract extension. Although he had an argument with Manager Nuno on the pitch after last month's match against Leicester City, it is reported that the matter was resolved well through conversation.

Owner Marinakis praised, "Manager Nuno is adept at maximizing the performance of our players and helping them develop. At the same time, he has proven to be an expert in integrating our young talents into the first team."

He also stated, "We share a strong and solid relationship. Above all, we have the same dream and ambition to write new history for Nottingham, compete in the Premier League and European competitions, and win trophies."

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