Nuno Espirito Santo in talks to replace Nottingham Forest boss Steve Cooper: Reports

LONDON – Former Tottenham Hotspur boss Nuno Espirito Santo has held talks with Nottingham Forest about replacing Steve Cooper as manager of the English Premier League strugglers, according to British media reports.

Cooper was sacked on Dec 19 after a dismal run of just one win in 13 league games, which has seen Forest slump to one place above the relegation zone.

Forest officials have reportedly spoken to Portuguese coach Nuno as they look to fill the hot seat at the City Ground.

Nuno has been out of work since leaving Saudi Pro League club Al-Ittihad in November.

Now the 49-year-old is in line for a return to the Premier League, two years after the end of an ill-fated four-month spell at Tottenham which culminated in his sacking.

He also had four years in charge of Wolverhampton Wanderers, guiding the club to promotion from the Championship in his first season in charge.

Wolves enjoyed consecutive seventh-place finishes in the Premier League and a run to the Europa League quarter-finals under Nuno’s leadership. They were knocked out by eventual champions Sevilla.

Former Eintracht Frankfurt boss Oliver Glasner, who led the club to the Europa League title in 2022 and the German Cup final in 2023, had also been linked with the Forest job before Nuno emerged as their top target.

Cooper had retained the support of Forest fans after taking them from the bottom of the Championship to Premier League survival last season. He previously led England to the Under-17 World Cup title in 2017.

But with Forest’s summer of heavy investment in new signings failing to deliver further progress, their Greek owner Evangelos Marinakis has lost patience.

With Forest five points above the bottom three, reports suggest a deal for Nuno could be tied up before the crucial home tie against Bournemouth on Dec 23. REUTERS