While far from the only potential Graham Potter replacement in consideration at the time, Nuno Espirito Santo always felt like the ‘obvious choice’ for Premier League strugglers West Ham United.
In his previous role at Nottingham Forest, Nuno took over a side facing relegation and took them all the way to the Europa League just 17 months later.
There are obvious similarities between the position West Ham United found themselves in at the end of September, and where Forest were when Steve Cooper was given the boot in late-2023.
If the Hammers end up ascending the same heights as Nuno Espirito Santo’s old employers, well, even the biggest critics of the David Sullivan regime would have to accept this had been a pretty inspired decision.
As former Upton Park striker Jermain Defoe puts it, Nuno was the ‘obvious choice’ for West Ham. A proven Premier League operator with a track record for building solid defensive foundations and creating overachieving sides far greater than the sum of their parts.
There are similarities with the job Nuno did at Wolves, meanwhile, to that of Marcelo Bielsa at Leeds United. Reinvigorating a sleeping giant who had fallen on hard times, dragging them back into the big time before masterminding a top-half finish with a squad made up largely of players out of the Championship.
Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty ImagesAndrea Radrizzani wanted Julen Lopetegui at Leeds before West Ham United got him
Speaking to the Daily Mail, former Leeds chairman Andrea Radrizzani admits that everything went downhill following Bielsa’s emotional departure in early-2023. How differently things would have turned out if Elland Road had snared Julen Lopetegui – a year before his appointment at West Ham – is anyone’s guess.
Radrizzani admits that, before the ill-fated decision to hire Jesse Marsch, Leeds had initially planned to replace Bielsa with the likes of Unai Emery, Andoni Iraola and even Arne Slot.
Given what they would go on to achieve in English football soon after – Emery took Aston Villa into the Champions League, Iraola has transformed Bournemouth into a brilliant footballing outfit, while Slot won the title at Liverpool – Leeds were certainly ahead of the curve in their post-Bielsa pursuit.
Lopetegui, a pre-West Ham Lopetegui, was another the Yorkshire outfit placed on their wishlist.
“We spent a lot of time trying to find someone with a similar style of play as Marcelo,” Radrizzani says. “We could have had Unai Emery or Julen Lopetegui but we missed that window.
“Then, we tried with Arne Slot and Andoni Iraola after the World Cup but it was too late. It was my responsibility.”
While Lopetegui did keep Wolves safe from relegation in the 2022/23 season, his forgettable six-month stay at West Ham does little to suggest he would have built upon Bielsa’s success.
Losing nine of his 20 Premier League matches in charge and with the football ranging from plodding to downright abysmal, Lopetegui broke a record set by Lou Macari by becoming the West Ham manager to take charge of the fewest-ever games.
Joe Hart backs Nuno Espirito Santo for West Ham success
Now, they say the greatest tacticians are those who can turn raw ingredients into Michelin star meals. See Bielsa at Leeds, and Nuno at both Molineux and the City Ground.
Former Wolves stalwart Max Kilman credits Nuno for turning him into a solid top-flight centre-half, for instance. And as Nuno eyes a reunion with Chris Wood in the January window, it was he who coaxed a 20-goal season out of a 33-year-old striker whose best days were supposed to be behind him.
Anthony Elanga, Conor Coady, Elliott Anderson, Murillo, Ruben Neves, Raul Jimenez, Morgan Gibbs-White; they all played arguably their best football under Nuno as well.
Getting the extras in post-training ⚽️
— West Ham United (@WestHam) October 10, 2025
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Joe Hart did not enjoy his brief spell at Tottenham during the short-lived Nuno reign. But, putting those differences aside, the former West Ham goalkeeper believes that the 51-year-old Iberian is an inspired appointment for a club in their position.
More so, anyway, than his successor at Nottingham Forest.
“Ironically, I think Nuno is a better appointment to come in mid-season than what Nottingham Forest have made [in Ange Postecoglou],” Hart told TNT Sport last week. “Because he’ll make them solid. You know, he knows what he wants. He’ll be very hard [with his players].
“You know, I’ve experienced a little bit of time with him. My time wasn’t great with him, but it’s not about me. I know that he’s a good coach. I know that he will bring stability.
“West Ham have got some really good forward players. So, if [Nuno] can organise the defence how he does…
“He needs everyone on side at West Ham. That’s the key, you know, you need everyone believing in what he’s doing. But I think he can bring some stability there.”