Nottingham Forest fans wouldn’t have expected to be thinking about the possibility of Nuno Espirito Santo departing, but it looks as if a manager who was once linked with Forest is the favourite.
Espirito Santo was linked with the Al Hilal job in what would be a return to Saudi Arabia for him, after guiding Al Ittihad to the Saudi Pro League title back in the 2022/23 season.
Fellow coaches such as Thomas Frank have hailed Espirito Santo this season, so it’s perhaps natural that other clubs have taken note, but with the Champions League chase reaching its climax, fans could do with the Forest manager having no distractions.
Luckily, then, that wish may well be coming true as Al Hilal have reportedly made a manager once linked with the City Ground post their preferred candidate.
Marco Silva preferred over Nuno Espirito Santo in Al Hilal race
Fulham boss Marco Silva had been touted as a potential option for the role alongside Espirito Santo, but a fresh update from talkSPORT suggests that he is firmly in the driving seat.
The report said: “Marco Silva is a leading candidate for the Al-Hilal vacancy, with Fulham braced for an offer from the Saudi club.
“[…] The 47-year-old, who is contracted to Craven Cottage until 2026, is stalling on a new deal. […] Silva is understood to be open to the role, having previously turned down Saudi offers, with both he and Fulham now waiting for Hilal to make the next move.”
Silva has had the upper hand over his Forest counterpart this season, as Fulham completed a league double over the Reds, made even more impressive as Silva revealed his game plan to beat Forest before the match in February.
Their rivalry for the Al Hilal job is rather ironic, though, given that the same scenario played out when Forest appointed Espirito Santo back in late 2023.
Evangelos Marinakis picked Espirito Santo over Marco Silva
Back when Forest sacked Steve Cooper in December 2023, Evangelos Marinakis knew that he had to get his next appointment spot on to ensure his side’s survival in the Premier League.
Experience in the league was evidently favoured then when Espirito Santo was picked as the successor, but Marinakis also admired Silva as a potential option for the job.
The links go even further, though, as even after Espirito Santo had kept Forest up, Silva’s name was still lurking as a potential replacement should Marinakis’ first choice be poached.
The Daily Mail reported at the time that: “Marco Silva could become a surprise managerial target for Nottingham Forest if Nuno Espirito Santo is prised away from the City Ground.
“[…] Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis has long admired Silva, who coached Olympiacos – another club owned by Marinakis – in 2015-16. Though Silva has never worked for Marinakis since, the Greek shipping magnate has always followed his progress.”
So who knows, maybe if Espirito Santo is appointed as Al Hilal boss, Marinakis could once again turn his attention to Silva. He certainly has a history of it.
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