West Ham United appear set to sack manager Nuno Espirito Santo in the coming days following the club’s relegation from the Premier League at the end of the 2025/26 season.
The club held a board meeting on Monday morning, May 25, to discuss Nuno’s future after the Hammers dropped into the Championship following the final day of the season.
Nuno was called into talks with club co-owner David Sullivan and other senior figures, with sources indicating that his departure from the club is now the likely outcome.
West Ham’s relegation came despite a 3-0 victory over Leeds United on the final day, meaning the Hammers did everything asked of them on the pitch.
However, Tottenham Hotspur’s result against Everton on the same afternoon meant West Ham still finished 18th, ending 14 consecutive years of Premier League football at the club.
The Hammers finished the season on 39 points, a total that would have secured survival in many previous Premier League campaigns, making the drop particularly difficult to accept.
Nuno only took charge in September, replacing Graham Potter, inheriting a squad that was already sitting in a precarious position near the foot of the table.
A key factor in the board’s decision-making centres on Nuno’s contract, which reportedly contains a clause allowing both parties to terminate the agreement without compensation following relegation.
That clause significantly simplifies any potential exit for the club, which now faces a considerable reduction in revenue as it prepares for life in the Championship next season.
The Guardian reported that Nuno’s methods and team selections were not universally popular among the playing squad during his time in charge at the London Stadium.
Names including Scott Parker and Gary O’Neil have already been mentioned as possible candidates to take over and lead the club’s push for an immediate return to the top flight.
West Ham face significant decisions not only over their managerial position but also over the playing squad, with a number of high-profile players likely to attract interest from Premier League clubs this summer.
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