Who could replace Nuno Espirito Santo at Nottingham Forest? Odds and six potential contenders | OneFootball

Nuno Espirito Santo has been sacked as Nottingham Forest manager just three games into the new Premier League season.

Nuno guided Forest back into Europe for the first time in 30 years last season, having taken the club from the brink of relegation to one fighting for a Champions League place.

However, the Portuguese manager’s relationship with Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis deteriorated over the summer, something he openly admitted in an explosive press conference on 22 August.

He has now been dismissed from his post ahead of this weekend’s clash with Arsenal, something that was confirmed by Forest in the early hours of Tuesday morning, with Marinakis said to already have replacements lined up.

Ange Postecoglou, 2/5

The leading candidate to succeed Nuno in the Forest hot seat is ex-Tottenham boss Postecoglou.

The Aussie was himself brutally sacked at the beginning of the summer, just 16 days after guiding the club to the Europa League title last term.

However, a first trophy for Spurs in 17 years was not enough to absolve him of the dire domestic campaign the club had endured, which saw them finish 17th in the Premier League.

The 60-year-old looks set to now be snapped up by Marinakis, with The Independent understanding that a contract has already been penned with an announcement imminent.

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Ange Postecoglou is expected to take up the Forest reins (John Walton/PA) (PA Wire)

Jose Mourinho, 5/1

Another prominent contender for the vacant Forest job is one of football management royalty.

Mourinho has enjoyed a glittering career across a plethora of Europe’s top clubs, winning league titles with Inter Milan, Chelsea, Real Madrid and Porto, while also lifting the Champions League on two occasions.

While his days of dominance are all but over, Mourinho has showed no signs of slowing down. He has worked spells at Manchester United, Tottenham and Roma since 2016 and most recently spent a season at Fenerbahce before being sacked at the end of August, with club president Alic Koc citing a desire for “better football” following the club’s Champions League exit.

The ever-polarising Marinakis could look for someone to match his volatile character, with Mourinho posing a potential match made in heaven - or hell, depending on how you look at it.

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Jose Mourinho was sacked by Fenerbahce at the end of August (Reuters)

Nuno’s compatriot Silva is also said to be on Marinakis’ shortlist of replacements.

The 48-year-old has been at Fulham for four years but was vocally frustrated by the club’s quiet summer transfer window, issuing a plea to sign players before last Monday’s deadline.

He got his wish as Fulham signed attacking trio Samuel Chukwueze, Kevin, and Jonah Kusi-Asare in the final hours of the window, but their lack of conviction in the market may have unsettled things for Silva.

Silva last season rejected an approach to manage in Saudi Arabia but may be convinced to reunite with Marinakis, having previously been employed by the Greek billionaire as manager of Olympiakos, where he won the Greek Super League in 2015/16.

Oliver Glasner, 14/1

Now this would be controversial.

Crystal Palace and Forest have developed a heated rivalry over the past summer, with Marinakis’ club benefitting greatly from the Eagles’ European demotion due to a breach of multi-club ownership rules.

But after leading Palace to the FA Cup in May - a first-ever major trophy for the club - manager Oliver Glasner has become unsettled at Selhurst Park after an unsatisfactory transfer window.

The deadline day sale of Marc Guehi could have proved the final straw for the Austrian had his captain’s departure to Liverpool not been blocked at the 11th hour - but with Glasner in the final year of his contract and animosity still in the air, the prospect of jumping ship is still not out of the question.

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Oliver Glasner has been frustrated by Palace’s business (Reuters)

Andoni Iraola, 16/1

Bournemouth manager Iraola has become one of the hottest properties in management after propelling Bournemouth up the table and into European contention.

The Cherries’ free-flowing style of football has made them one of the best teams to watch in the Premier League, capable of causing upsets to the biggest hitters.

Iraola is now into his third season at the Vitality and could perhaps be tempted by the prospect of managing in continental competition.

However, Marinakis will have a fight on his hands to prize the Spaniard away from the south coast, with Bournemouth intent on keeping their tactician.

Mauricio Pochettino, 16/1

Pochettino has dipped away from club management since his mixed one-season spell at Chelsea, which saw them scrape European qualification despite spending much of the 2023/24 campaign languishing in mid-table.

The popular Argentine has since gone on to take charge of the USA men’s national team but has come under fire in that role, having lost the Gold Cup final to Mexico in the summer.

The ex-Tottenham boss, who guided Spurs to the Champions League final in 2019, could be a target for Marinakis should he want a manager with vast Premier League experience.

However, Pochettino will take some convincing to give up his job in the States, which will next year see him manage one of the host nations at the World Cup.