West Ham will remain with Nuno Espirito Santo as manager despite Premier League relegation

West Ham United have decided to put manager Nuno Espirito Santo in charge of the London side despite their relegation from the Premier League on the final day of the season, the club said on Wednesday.

West Ham finished 18th in the standings and dropped back to the second tier for the first time since 2011.

“While the final outcome on Sunday was painful, the Board of Directors believes there have been wider signs of improvement and progress in recent months, and we want Nuno to continue to develop that progress,” the club said in a statement.

West Ham finished the season with 19 defeats and 10 wins, finishing two points behind London rivals Tottenham Hotspur, despite winning the final match against Leeds United 3–0 on Sunday as Spurs beat Everton 1–0 to stay alive.

The writing was on the wall for West Ham as they lost three games in a row against Brentford, Arsenal and Newcastle United earlier this month, leaving Spurs in control of their fate on the final day.

The club said it had held meetings with Espirito Santo earlier this week, with the Portuguese manager expressing his commitment to the club he joined in September on a three-year contract following the sacking of Graham Potter.

The board added that they had seen a “marked improvement in team mentality and togetherness” since January, making the 52-year-old the ideal candidate to lead their promotion campaign next season.

«Nuno made it very clear that he is highly motivated for the challenge of taking West Ham United back to the top level when he first asked. That must be the unquestionable goal for next season,» the club added.

“Nuno spent one year in the EFL Championship last year and it was an extraordinary success as he scored 99 points to win the title with Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2018.”

Published on May 27, 2026