West Ham sack Nuno after six months of doubt; Parker close to return
Seven Lights
West Ham United dismissed head coach Nuno Espírito Santo on Tuesday, ending his tenure after just over a year and four points short of the automatic promotion places in the Championship, and moved quickly toward appointing Scott Parker as his replacement.
The decision followed a second consecutive home defeat, a dismal performance against West Bromwich Albion last Saturday, and left the club sitting eighth in the second tier. West Ham have won twice in their past six league games. The club’s board had resisted a change for six months despite a season that began with failures in the first three league matches and a run of four wins that proved temporary.
Nuno, the 52-year-old Portuguese who replaced Graham Potter in September 2025, had 33 league games to keep West Ham up and failed, the club being relegated after a season of passive, confused football. He leaves with the most expensive squad in the Championship, a side rated among the promotion favourites. His £22 million signing of the Belgian midfielder Arne Engels from Celtic, a club record, did not alter the team’s direction, and Jarrod Bowen, the winger and top scorer, has struggled in Nuno’s system.
BBC Sport reported that West Ham had approached Parker and were in talks with him; Sky Sports said the former England midfielder was close to appointment. Parker has been available since leaving Burnley last April and is regarded as a safe choice for the promotion task, having previously taken three clubs up. He would be West Ham’s fourth permanent manager since May 2024.
The change also marks a turn in the club’s boardroom. David Sullivan, the largest shareholder, had wanted Nuno gone and resigned this year as joint-chairman and director to fight what he described as “false allegations” regarding his personal conduct, while the principal owner Daniel Kretinsky had favoured continuity. Karren Brady stepped down as vice-chairman in April.
West Ham remain unbeaten away from home this season, having beaten league-leading Swansea City 1-0 last month, and sit within reach of the top two. Sky Sports said an appointment of Parker was close.