Chalien Dantes/Contributor

Nuno Espirito Santo’s position as Nottingham Forest manager is increasingly uncertain following a reported breakdown in his relationship with club owner Evangelos Marinakis.

Despite guiding Forest to European qualification last season and starting the new Premier League campaign with a win over Brentford, sources suggest Nuno’s role is far from secure. Tensions at the top appear to be filtering down to the squad, with players understood to be aware of the situation.

The manager’s involvement in the club’s summer transfer activity has reportedly been limited. While Forest brought in seven new players, the lack of input from Nuno in those decisions may be contributing to the growing disconnect between him and Marinakis. The sale of winger Anthony Elanga to Newcastle for £55 million added another layer of complexity to the summer window. Concerns over their working relationship date back several months.

In May, Marinakis appeared to confront Nuno on the pitch following a draw against Leicester at the City Ground, although the club later denied there had been any incident.

Nuno took over as Forest manager in December 2023 and successfully led the club to safety despite a four-point deduction for financial breaches. He then oversaw an impressive campaign that saw Forest finish seventh—their highest league position since 1994-95 and qualify for European competition for the first time in 30 years.

That success earned him a new three-year contract in June, and at the time, the club publicly described his relationship with Marinakis as strong. However, behind the scenes, things appear to have shifted. Forest were initially set to compete in the Conference League this season but were elevated to the Europa League after Crystal Palace were demoted due to UEFA’s multi-club ownership rules.

Forest face Palace in the Premier League on Sunday, but questions remain about whether Nuno will remain in charge for long if tensions continue to escalate.