Nottingham Forest have sacked manager Steve Cooper, with Nuno Espirito Santo in advanced talks to succeed him.
The club – 17th in the Premier League – made the decision to relieve Cooper of his duties after a run of six league matches without a win and just one victory in the last 13 matches.
Formalities are now being completed including employees being informed of the official confirmation which will come on Tuesday afternoon.
Barring a late change, former Tottenham Hotspur coach Espirito Santo – who left his position with Saudi Professional Club Al-Ittihad last month – is set to replace Cuper at the City Ground.
Forest have spoken to former Wolves manager Julen Lopetegui about his potential interest in the role, while the club’s hierarchy have also looked at Oliver Glasner, the Austrian who led Bundesliga sides Wolfsburg and Eintracht Frankfurt to the Champions League.
Espirito Santo guided Wolves to promotion from the Championship in 2018, before then guiding them to seventh place in the Premier League.
He was appointed by Tottenham in June 2021, although he only lasted four months in the capital.
Cooper took charge of Forest in September 2021 and were bottom of the Championship, but led a remarkable turnaround to secure a play-off place and then beat Sheffield United and Huddersfield Town to win promotion to the Premier League.
Although owner Evangelos Marinakis gave Cooper a new contract until 2025 in October last year, the 44-year-old has been under pressure all season, with Forest rarely falling out of the bottom five.
Cooper guided Forest to 16th place, finishing four points clear of 18th-placed Leicester City, in the club’s first season in the Premier League in more than 20 years.
This campaign has proven to be equally challenging for Cooper’s side as the team is involved in another relegation battle.
Forest won two of their first four Premier League games this season – including a notable win at Stamford Bridge in early September – but won just one of their next 13 league games.
Their impressive two-goal win at home to in-form Aston Villa in early November ended a run of six Premier League matches without a win, but the club then failed to win any of their next six league matches, including a five-goal defeat. At Fulham earlier this month.
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Additional reporting: Daniel Taylor
(Top Image: Alex Davidson/Getty Images)
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