Leeds United are back at Elland Road on Friday night as they take on West Ham United, who have hired Nuno Espirito Santo as Graham Potter’s replacement.
Nuno has immediately returned to Premier League management after being controversially sacked by Nottingham Forest. A move that has not gone well, with Ange Postecoglou already leaving his post.
Sean Dyche is the favourite to go in at Forest, while Potter has since become manager of Sweden where he will work with Gabriel Gudmundsson. On Friday, Nuno will take charge of his fourth Hammers game.
West Ham, interestingly, are in action on Monday night, too. The Portuguese gaffer hosts Brentford at the London Stadium before going to Yorkshire only a few days later. But Nuno could have joined Leeds.
Nuno Espirito Santo ahead of a clash between Nottingham Forest and Brentford.
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How close did Nuno come to getting the Leeds United job?
It is February 2023 and after Leeds failed to lure Andoni Iraola or Arne Slot to Elland Road, and according to Andrea Radrizzani, also missed out on Unai Emery and Julen Lopetegui, Leeds tried to land Nuno.
Nuno was in charge of Saudi Pro League side Al Ittihad at the time, and had Helder Costa on loan. He went on to win the title that season, but Leeds held an interview with Nuno to replace Jesse Marsch.
However, nothing came to fruition and after a three-game interim stint under now-Lincoln manager Michael Skubala, Leeds hired Javi Gracia. After Gracia, came Sam Allardyce, and then relegation in 2023.
Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo.
Photo by Dave Howarth – CameraSport via Getty Images
Nuno Espirito Santo described Leeds as an ‘amazing team’ in 2020
Back in October 2020, Leeds were riding the Marcelo Bielsa wave in the Premier League, but suffered a 1-0 home defeat to Wolves. A Wolves side that were thriving under the guidance of Nuno, sitting in sixth.
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Afterwards, after Raul Jimenez’s goal winner, Nuno praised Leeds: “It’s very difficult to play against Leeds. Very difficult. It’s an amazing team. The energy of the players, the manager, the ideas. It’s very difficult.”
Instead of being in the home dugout on Friday night however, it will be Nuno in the away technical area as Leeds look to get back on track after two successive Premier League defeats to Tottenham and Burnley.