“West Ham divided over the future of Nuno Espírito Santo.”

The future of Nuno Espírito Santo at West Ham is finally defined, but not without controversy. Despite the club’s historic relegation to the Championship, the Portuguese coach will remain in charge of the team for the upcoming season, according to confirmations from the club itself, but the decision was far from unanimous within the West Ham structure.

The Hammers’ squad had a campaign to forget: only ten wins, nine draws, and 19 losses culminated in a fatal defeat on the final day, resulting in relegation. In September, after a negative series of results, Graham Potter was sacked and Nuno Espírito Santo was called in to try to save the team. However, the former Wolverhampton coach, who won the Championship in 2017/18 with the Wolves, was unable to prevent the drop.

During January, when the team was at the bottom of the table, it was even reported that Nuno was on the verge of leaving, but the Portuguese ended up staying on the bench until the end of the season. Now, with the official confirmation from the board, the 52-year-old coach will lead West Ham in a tough fight to return to the Premier League, but he knows he will be under pressure if the initial results are negative.

Internal sources have revealed that the West Ham board was divided over Nuno’s continuation. Despite the doubts, the decision was made to back the coach, a choice that could be crucial for the club’s immediate future. The pressure will be immense for him to revive a team facing a significant overhaul in its squad.

Several players have already expressed their desire to leave following the relegation, and the club needs to generate revenue from sales to balance the books and finance new signings. Crysencio Summerville is one of the most sought-after athletes, and Nuno may lose some of his key players, making it even more difficult to assemble a competitive team.

The Portuguese coach will only have a clear view of his squad after the transfer market closes in early September, when it will become evident how far West Ham is willing to invest to quickly return to the top tier of English football. The challenge is enormous, but Nuno Espírito Santo has a track record of leading teams to promotion. Now, he will have to prove that he is up to the demands of West Ham and its supporters.

This article first appeared on [Apito Final](https://apitofinal.pt/).