Nuno Espirito Santo’s future as Nottingham Forest manager is uncertain after a breakdown in his relationship with owner Evangelos Marinakis.
Sources have told BBC Sport that Nuno’s position is not completely safe despite last season’s achievement of qualifying for Europe, and their win over Brentford in the first round of matches in this season’s Premier League on Sunday.
The uncertainty, according to sources, has now stretched to the playing squad, who are said to be aware of the situation.
On Friday, 51-year-old Nuno said “where there’s smoke, there’s fire” amid rumours about his job.
“I always had a very good relationship with the owner – last season we were very close and spoke on a daily basis,” Nuno said.
“This season it is not so well [between us] but I always believe that dialogue is important because my concern is the squad and the season we have ahead of us. Our relationship has changed and we are not as close.”
When asked if it was good that his relationship with Evangelos Marinakis had changed, Nuno said: “No, it is not good. I think everybody at the club should be together but this is not the reality.”
Forest have been active in the transfer market this summer, signing seven players – although they did sell winger Anthony Elanga to Newcastle for £55m.
But before last Sunday’s 3-1 win over Brentford, Nuno outlined his transfer concerns.
“We have doubts, who is going to be [here], when are they [new signings] going to come? All these things create doubts,” he said.
“Not only me but in the club. What we want is game-by-game to have as many options as possible. Europe will come after, and for sure it will be better, but for now until that happens it is a major concern.
“The owner is aware, the club is aware, everyone is aware. Everybody knows the reality. This is a lost chance that we had as a group to do it.”
There have been suggestions that Nuno has not been fully involved in the club’s recruitment this summer, which could be a factor in the deterioration of his relationship with Marinakis.
In May, Marinakis appeared to confront Nuno on the pitch after a 2-2 draw against Leicester at the City Ground.
Forest later said the incident was because of the owner’s frustration that striker Taiwo Awoniyi had continued to play following an 88th-minute injury which subsequently required what the club described as “urgent” surgery.
The club said there was “no confrontation” and it was “fake news” to suggest otherwise.
Nuno was appointed Forest manager in December 2023 and successfully steered the club away from relegation that campaign, despite a four-point deduction for breaching profit and sustainability rules.
He then guided Forest to seventh in the Premier League last season – their highest finish since 1994-95 – as they qualified for Europe for the first time in three decades.
The former Wolves and Tottenham boss signed a new three-year contract in June, with Marinakis describing their relationship as “strong and solid”.
Forest were initially placed into the Conference League but moved up to the Europa League after Crystal Palace were demoted for breaching Uefa’s multi-club ownership rules.
Forest travel to Palace in the Premier League on Sunday.
