Nuno Espirito Santo appointed new West Ham United head coach, replacing sacked Graham Potter on three-year deal, will take charge against Everton

West Ham United have announced the appointment of Nuno Espirito Santo as their new head coach on a three-year deal, replacing Graham Potter.

His first match in charge is on Monday night when West Ham face Everton at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

“My objective is to work hard to get the very best from the team and ensure that we are as competitive as we possibly can be. The work has already started, and I am looking forward to the challenge that is ahead.”

Nuno will take charge of a third Premier League club, following spells at Wolverhampton Wanderers, Tottenham Hotspur and Nottingham Forest.

The 51-year-old started his managerial career with Rio Ave in his native Portugal, before spells in charge of Valencia and FC Porto.

He would make a name for himself in English football at Molineux, leading Wolves to the Championship title in the 2017/18 campaign and securing European football with a seventh-place finish the following season.

The Portuguese led the club to a UEFA Europa League quarter-final place and a second consecutive seventh-place finish the following season.

He remained at the club for one more season before an ill-fated four-month spell in charge of Spurs that resulted in his dismissal in November 2021.

A spell at Al Ittihad followed, where Nuno won a Saudi Pro League and Super Cup double ahead of a return to England with Forest.

After his appointment in December 2023, he led the club to Premier League survival ahead of delivering European qualification for the East Midlands side with a seventh-place finish last season, and a run to the FA Cup semi-finals.

Just 17 days before being sacked by Forest, Nuno said: “I always had a very good relationship with the owner – last season we were very close and spoke on a daily basis. This season it is not so well.

“My concern is the squad and the season we have ahead of us. Our relationship has changed and we are not as close.”

“Everybody at the club should be together but this is not the reality.”

He oversaw three games in charge this season, which included a 3-1 win over Brentford, a 1-1 draw at Crystal Palace and a 3-0 defeat at home to West Ham.

His quest is now to galvanise a West Ham side with only one victory from their opening five Premier League games, starting on Merseyside in two days’ time.