Nottingham Forest eyeing Leicester City managerial target after Sean Dyche sack decision | OneFootball

Vitor Pereira has previously been linked with the managerial vacancy at Leicester City

Vitor Pereira has emerged as a strong candidate to take over at Nottingham Forest, amid interest from Championship strugglers Leicester City.

According to The Athletic, former Wolves boss Pereira is high on the shortlist of Evangelos Marinakis following the decision to part ways with Sean Dyche in the early hours of Thursday.

The Reds drew 0-0 against Pereira’s former side on Wednesday night despite taking 35 shots on the night, with the result leaving the team on the cusp of the Premier League’s relegation zone.

Forest are now searching for their fourth permanent head coach of the campaign, with Nuno Espirito Santo, Ange Postecoglou and Dyche all taking on the role this season, and all being sacked for their performance.

Pereira has been out of work since departing Molineux on November 2025, and has also previously coached in Turkey, Saudi Arabia, China, Brazil, Greece and Portugal.

Nottingham Forest eye Leicester City managerial target Vitor Pereira

Nottingham Forest have turned their attention to Pereira following Wednesday night’s draw with Wolves.

This could come as a blow to Leicester, who were linked with the 57-year-old in recent weeks amid their search to replace Martí Cifuentes.

Pereira has previously worked under the Nottingham Forest owner, who also has control of Greek side Olympiacos.

The Portuguese coach won a league and cup double in the 2014/15 campaign, and that connection could be key to the Reds appointing him as Dyche’s replacement. ahead of Leicester.

Cifuentes was dismissed by the Foxes after a 2-1 loss to Oxford United at the end of January, with Andy King currently in charge on an interim basis.

It remains to be seen whether Pereira could be convinced to make the move to the King Power Stadium, but interest from Nottingham Forest could prove a major stumbling block.

Leicester are currently 21st in the Championship table, ahead of the relegation zone only due to a superior goal difference.

Next up for King’s side is a trip to face Southampton on February 14 in a 3pm kick-off in the fourth round of the FA Cup, where revenge will be sought for the 4-3 loss to the Saints on Tuesday evening in league action.

Leicester City are taking too long with managerial appointment - they could lose out on Vitor Pereira as a result

Leicester could be set to miss out on a target that they were linked to a number of weeks ago, as they take their time on replacing Cifuentes, with owner Khun Top seemingly in no rush to bring in someone ahead of interim boss Andy King.

Given the team’s precarious position in the Championship though, they cannot afford to waste any time in finding the right coach to take them on, with King a very inexperienced figure.

The East Midlands outfit are at significant risk of relegation, and bringing in someone like Pereira could go a long way to avoiding the drop.

But if the option is between Leicester and Forest, then the chance to work in the Premier League again will be more enticing, even if there is a lack of long-term job security at the City Ground.