West Ham have announced that manager Nuno Espirito Santo will remain in charge next season despite their relegation from the Premier League.
The Portuguese coach had been widely expected to leave the London Stadium following the club’s drop to the Championship, which was confirmed on the final day of the campaign despite a 3-0 victory over Leeds United.
However, following extensive talks with the board of directors on Monday, the Hammers hierarchy have decided to retain the former Tottenham head coach to lead their promotion charge next year.
In a statement released on Wednesday morning, the club outlined their decision to maintain stability in the dugout, pointing to an improved points-per-game ratio over the second half of the season as a key factor.
The West Ham statement read: “Relation is obviously not the outcome that anyone at West Ham United would have wanted when the Premier League season started last August. For every single person who is passionate about the Club, it hurts deeply and that feeling will sustain for some time.
“As a Board we cannot shy away from the fact our season has not been good enough. We know you, the supporters, have backed the team constantly as always and your loyalty and commitment has not been matched by our final league position. We also understand the frustration that many of you feel about the direction the Club has headed in recent years.
“Although relegation is not what any of us wanted, we now have to look forward. The Board must now review every aspect of the Club’s operation to ensure that when we return to the Premier League – hopefully in August 2027 – we are a better West Ham United in every way, on and off the pitch.
“The football operation always has to be our first priority and the planning for next season started as soon as the final whistle sounded on Sunday. We held meetings with Head Coach Nuno Espírito Santo early this week and are pleased to confirm that he has expressed his continued commitment to the Club – as we have to him.
“Nuno made it very clear that he is highly motivated for the challenge of guiding West Ham United back to the top flight at the first time of asking. That must be the unquestionable goal for next season. Nuno has spent one previous year in the EFL Championship and it was an outstanding success as he secured 99 points to win the title with Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2018.
“While the ultimate outcome on Sunday was a painful one, the Board of Directors believe that there have been broader signs of improvement and progress in recent months, and we want Nuno to continue developing that progress.
“A total of 25 points taken from our final 17 Premier League matches equated to 1.47 points per game – a ratio that would have resulted in a seventh-place finish across the full season. Furthermore, we feel the clear improvement in squad mentality and togetherness since January, leading to that upturn in performances and results, makes him the right man to lead us forward.”