Nuno Espírito Santo, 51, has signed a three-year contract extension with Nottingham Forest.
The English Premier League (EPL) club announced on the 21st (Korea time) through its official website that "the contract with Coach Santo has been extended until 2028." This decision reflects the high regard for his leadership in raising the team from the relegation zone to the upper tier.
When Coach Santo took charge in October 2023, Nottingham was facing relegation. However, after his appointment, the team quickly regained stability. They showed an unexpected upward trend in the 2024-2025 season, briefly climbing to third place in the league. Although they stumbled towards the end of the season and failed to qualify for the UEFA Champions League and Europa League, they finished seventh in the league with 19 wins, 8 draws, and 11 losses.
Nottingham secured a spot in next season's UEFA Europa Conference League. This marks their return to European competitions after 30 years since the 1995-1996 season.
Coach Santo, whose contract was extended, said, "I am very happy to continue this journey with the team," adding, "I have been working to build strong ties with the players, fans, and club members. These efforts led to good results last season."
Coach Santo started his managerial career in 2012 at Rio Ave. He later went on to coach Valencia and FC Porto before joining Wolverhampton. In 2021, he took charge of Tottenham but was dismissed after four months due to poor performance. He became the coach with the shortest tenure in Tottenham's history, managing just 10 matches.
Afterward, Coach Santo briefly sought to revive his career at Saudi Arabia's Al-Ittihad but faced mid-term dismissal, enduring yet another trial. It was then that Nottingham extended a helping hand. He responded by stabilizing the team in the EPL.
Nottingham club owner Evangelos Marinakis noted, "Coach Santo excels at player development," emphasizing, "He has an outstanding ability to utilize young talents on the first team. We look forward to writing a new chapter in the club's history with him."
[OSEN]