Nottingham Forest have parted ways with head coach Nuno Espirito Santo after just three games into the new Premier League season.
The 51-year-old manager signed a fresh contract this summer after leading Forest into European football, but he admitted in August that his relationship with co-owner Evangelos Marinakis was no longer as strong as it had been the previous year.
Tensions grew when Nuno openly criticized the club’s transfer policy, saying the squad was unbalanced and far from ready for the new campaign.
At 12:15 am on Tuesday, Forest released a statement confirming his dismissal. The club thanked him for his work and described his time as one of the most successful periods in their history.
Nuno will be remembered for guiding the club back into Europe for the first time in 30 years, taking Forest from relegation worries to a seventh-place finish in the Premier League.
Despite signing a new three-year deal in June, Nuno revealed that his relationship with Marinakis had changed.
He also pointed to the arrival of Edu Gaspar, the former Arsenal director, as head of football, which brought more challenges behind the scenes.
He had even hinted at his possible exit, saying “when there’s smoke, there’s fire” when asked about speculation over his job.
Nuno’s final games in charge were a 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace and a 3-0 defeat to West Ham. His departure comes just before Forest face Arsenal in their next match.
