Nuno replaces Potter as West Ham boss

West Ham invested nearly 150,000,000 euros this June in new players, bringing Graham Potter five paid signings and eight reinforcements in total, but the Hammers are enduring a grim start to the season. Just one win and as many as four defeats in the opening five matches led to the dismissal of the English manager, which the Premier League club confirmed on its official channels.

“The results and performances during the second half of last season and the beginning of the 2025/26 campaign have not met expectations, and the Board believes that a change is necessary in order to improve the team’s Premier League position as soon as possible” read the Hammers’ statement, who quickly found a replacement.

The new coach will be Nuno Espírito Santo, who was recently sacked by Nottingham Forest despite bringing the club European football last season. The Portuguese is expected to be officially presented soon and could already lead Monday’s match against Everton. West Ham ended last season with only two wins from their last 11 games, finishing 14th in the table. This season, they lost the opener to Sunderland, then to Chelsea, and were knocked out of the League Cup by Wolverhampton. A victory over Nottingham Forest slightly improved the situation, but was followed by defeats in two small London derbies against Tottenham and Crystal Palace.

This means that another manager’s head has rolled at the London Olympic Stadium within nine months, as Potter himself arrived in January as a replacement for Spaniard Julen Lopetegui. Previously, under David Moyes’ five-year tenure, West Ham enjoyed notable stability, finishing the 2020/21 season in 6th place, the next in 7th, and the 2023/24 campaign in 9th place in the Premier League. They also shone in Europe, reaching the Europa League semifinals in 2022, winning the Conference League in 2023 with victory over Fiorentina, and playing the Europa League quarterfinals in 2024. Potter and Lopetegui together did not even reach 50 matches in charge of the team. The Spaniard lasted 22 games, Potter 25.

PREMIER LEAGUE - MATCHDAY 6

Saturday

Brentford - Man. United 3-1 (2-1)

/Thiago 8, 20, Jensen 90+5 - Sesko 26/

Chelsea - Brighton 1-3 (1-0)

/Fernandez 24 - Welbeck 77, 90+10 De Cuyper 90+2/

Crystal Palace - Liverpool 2-1 (1-0)

/Sarr 9, Nketiah 90+7 - Chiesa 87/

Leeds - Bournemouth 2-2 (1-1)

/Rodon 37, Longstaff 54 - Semenyo 26, Kroupi 90+3/

Man. City - Burnley 5-1 (1-1)

/Esteve 12 (og), 65 (og), Nunes 61, Haaland 90, 90+3 - Anthony 38/

Nott.Forest - Sunderland 0-1 (0-1)

/Alderete 38/

Tottenham - Wolverhampton 1-1 (0-0)

/Palhinha 90+4 - Bueno 54/

Sunday

16.00: (2.35) Aston Villa (3.35) Fulham (3.30)

18.30: (3.60) Newcastle (3.45) Arsenal (2.20)

Monday

22.00: (1.80) Everton (3.60) West Ham (5.10)

***odds are subject to change***