Nuno Espírito Santo has signed a new contract at Nottingham Forest, where the demands have been set pretty clearly by owner Evangelos Marinakis.
During the season, Forest chose not to offer Espírito Santo a new contract to avoid any potential distractions in what was a brilliant season for the club, but the off-season has given Marinakis the perfect chance to secure his manager’s future.
Forest fans aimed digs at Gary Neville in reply to Nuno’s new deal after the pundit called for the boss to resign last season, but the relationship between Espírito Santo and Marinakis looks to be as strong as ever.
However, the Forest owner’s ambition is no secret, and he’s just made a very clear demand of Nuno for the next stages of his time at the City Ground.
Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis looks on prior to the 2024 UEFA Conference League final
Photo by Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images
Evangelos Marinakis demands silverware from Nuno Espírito Santo
Qualifying for European football for the first time in 30 years was undoubtedly the achievement that earned Espírito Santo his new contract, but the progress won’t be limited to a single season.
Quoted in the official announcement of the new contract, Marinakis made specific mention of the continued forward momentum of the club, with silverware among the top of his next priorities.
He said: “Nuno has made a great impact and performed very well during his time with us so far. He has demonstrated that he maximises player performance and is an expert at developing players, whilst also embedding our young talent into the first team set-up.
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“We enjoy a strong and solid relationship together and, above all, we share the same dream and ambition of writing a new history for Nottingham Forest, competing in the Premier League and in Europe and winning trophies for our great club!”
Marinakis is planning an ambitious transfer window so this expectation of winning trophies will be fairly immediate on Espírito Santo, with signs of progress demanded at Forest to match the drive of the owner.
Espírito Santo shouldn’t worry, though, as the 25/26 season actually presents a brilliant chance to deliver the silverware that will only improve his relationship with Marinakis further.
Nuno Espírito Santo has the chance to deliver a trophy next season
Nuno wants to improve four positions at Forest as his squad takes shape ahead of what will be a busy campaign, but one that presents a brilliant opportunity for success.
Forest’s qualification for the UEFA Conference League was met with a tinge of disappointment after such a long time spent in the top five, but the competition has the potential to give the Reds a season to remember.
In its four years of existence, two Premier League sides have won the Conference League, with Aston Villa reaching the semi-final in 23/24 as well, only to be knocked out by Marinakis’ Olympicacos.
If Forest can get their transfers right this summer in terms of first-team and squad additions, Europe could represent Espírito Santo’s best chance to deliver the silverware that Marinakis desires.