Nuno Espirito Santo’s future as Nottingham Forest manager has been thrown into doubt following a breakdown in his relationship with club owner Evangelos Marinakis.
Despite leading Forest to their highest league finish in decades and securing European football, questions remain about how long Nuno will stay in charge.
Tension Between Manager and Owner
Nuno admitted last week that his once-strong relationship with Marinakis has changed.
“Where there’s smoke, there’s fire,” Nuno said when asked about rumours over his job. “Last season we spoke every day. This season it is not so well. It’s not good because I believe everyone at the club should be together.”
The rift has reportedly spread to the playing squad, with players aware of the uncertainty.
Transfer Frustrations
Forest have signed seven players this summer but also sold winger Anthony Elanga to Newcastle for £55m. Nuno, however, expressed concerns before last weekend’s 3-1 win over Brentford, saying the club had missed an opportunity to strengthen properly.
“We have doubts about who is going to be here, when are the new signings going to come? These things create doubts. We want as many options as possible, especially with Europe coming.”
There are suggestions that Nuno has not been fully involved in this summer’s recruitment, something that may have strained his relationship with the owner.
Flashpoint With Marinakis
Back in May, Marinakis appeared to confront Nuno on the pitch after a 2-2 draw with Leicester. The club later played down the incident, saying the owner was frustrated over an injury to striker Taiwo Awoniyi and insisting there had been “no confrontation.”
Still, it highlighted the growing tension between the two.
Success on the Pitch
Since arriving in December 2023, Nuno has done an impressive job. He guided Forest away from relegation despite a four-point deduction and then led them to seventh place last season, their best finish since 1994-95.
That achievement secured European football for the first time in 30 years. Originally placed in the Conference League, Forest were later moved up to the Europa League after Crystal Palace were demoted for breaching UEFA’s multi-club rules.
Marinakis Back in Control
Forest themselves were at risk of UEFA sanctions because Marinakis also owns Greek club Olympiakos. To avoid punishment, he temporarily diluted his control of Forest earlier this year.
But in June, once the danger had passed, he regained full control and removed the directors who had been put in place to oversee the club.
What’s Next?
Nuno signed a new three-year deal in June, with Marinakis at the time calling their relationship “strong and solid.” But just weeks into the new season, things appear less certain.
Forest fans will now be watching closely to see whether Nuno can steady the ship or if a change is coming sooner than expected.
Forest’s next test comes this Sunday, away to Crystal Palace.
