A source close to West Ham majority owner David Sullivan has claimed he will give manager Nuno Espirito Santo what he wants next season – on one condition.
The next six games will likely determine whether Nuno Espirito Santo remains manager of West Ham next term.
The Portuguese signed a three-year deal when he replaced Graham Potter in September.
But it is understood that Nuno will walk away if West Ham drop into the Championship.
Sullivan will give Nuno what he wants if West Ham stay up
Hammers fans have really taken to Nuno as he had led a remarkable turnaround since early January.
West Ham have closed a big gap on their relegation rivals and climbed out of the bottom three with a 4-0 win over Wolves at the weekend.
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David Sullivan takes in a West Ham match from the directors' box
Photo by Tom Dulat/Getty Images
Survival is now firmly in West Ham’s own hands and they are masters of their own destiny.
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And that will be true of Nuno at the London Stadium next season according to sources close to David Sullivan.
It is claimed Sullivan will give the head coach what he wants – but it flies in the face of a statement made by vice-chair Karren Brady just last month.
Nuno Espirito Santo celebrates after West Ham score against Newcastle United in the Premier League.
Photo by Kevin Hodgson/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Brady went on record to state that West Ham will replace Sullivan as the club’s de facto director of football – regardless of whether the club is relegated.
Fans have been protesting for Sullivan and Brady to stand down from the day-to-day running of West Ham after two years of rapid regression coupled with disastrous, club record financial losses of £104m.
With West Ham owing a whopping £196m to other clubs in transfer instalments too, there will be no easy fix to the financial situation.
Staying in the Premier League is clearly of paramount importance when it comes to staying aboard the gravy train.
Brady pledge questioned as Nuno and Mendes transfer claim made
Much of the blame for the situation the Hammers find themselves in is laid at the door of the club’s dealings in the transfer market – both in and out.
West Ham have flitted between agent-led deals and appointing various people to head of recruitment or director of football roles from Mario Husillos to Rob Newman, Tim Steidten and Kyle Macaulay.
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Taty Castellanos of West Ham United celebrates scoring their 3rd goal with Crysencio Summerville during the Premier League match between West Ham United and Wolverhampton Wanderers at London Stadium on April 10, 2026 in London, United Kingdom.
None of those have proved particularly successful but Brady insisted a director of football will be appointed this summer regardless of whether West Ham are relegated to the Championship or not.
However, a source close to Sullivan has ‘laughed off’ the notion West Ham will appoint a director of football if they stay in the Premier League.
Instead Nuno and his super agent ally Jorge Mendes will continue to spearhead recruitment should the Hammers remain in the top flight.
Super agent Jorge Mendes has worked closely with new West Ham boss Nuno Espirito Santo down the years
Photo by PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA/AFP via Getty Images
When West Ham were in talks to appoint Nuno as Potter’s replacement, Hammers News revealed there were two big conditions Sullivan had to agree to.
One of those was that Mendes was involved in transfers.
A major reason for Nuno’s fall-out with Evangelos Marinakis at Forest was due to Edu being brought in to oversee recruitment while he and Mendes were sidelined.
Sullivan’s agreement to allow Mendes a say on West Ham’s transfers was a key reason Nuno agreed to join the east Londoners.
Mendes runs his Gestifute agency which boasts some of the top talents in world football.
And Claret andHugh, which counts Sullivan among its close contacts, claims nobody will be brought in over Mendes and Nuno for West Ham’s recruitment if the club stays up.
The very notion is described as being ‘laughed off’ by sources close to the Hammers hierarchy.
Some fans will question why Brady has gone on record saying one thing when the club is planning to do another. Cynics would say it is par for the course for the current owners.
However, zooming out, would it be such a bad thing for West Ham?
After all the only window on Nuno’s watch so far has been very good with Axel Disasi, Taty Castellanos, Pablo and Adama Traore all contributing to the big turnaround that has put survival back in the club’s hands.
West Ham have bigger fish to fry over the next six weeks but this subject will be hugely important come the summer – especially if the Hammers secure safety.
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