WEST HAM can axe boss Nuno Espirito Santo without paying him a single penny if the club are relegated to the Championship.
The Portuguese coach was handed a three-year deal when he replaced Graham Potter, but a clause in his contract means he would not be owed compensation if the Hammers go down.
Sources familiar with the agreement say the 52-year-old would walk away empty-handed should the club suffer demotion.
Despite mounting pressure, West Ham’s hierarchy have so far backed Nuno during a difficult campaign.
The Athletic reported in January there was no immediate desire to sack him, even after a damaging 3-0 defeat to bottom club Wolves, their first league win of the season.
Nuno’s record since taking charge in late September makes grim reading, with just four wins from 19 Premier League matches.
TURBO
Win a stunning VW Tiguan + £5,000 or £35,000 cash from just 12p with our code
MAD FOR HIM
Romero back on Atletico radar after rant about ‘disgraceful’ Spurs transfers
He has also drawn five games and lost ten, leaving the club deep in relegation trouble.
Following last weekend’s 3-2 defeat to Chelsea, West Ham remain in the drop zone, six points behind Leeds in 16th and Nottingham Forest in 17th.
If Nuno is dismissed, it would mark West Ham’s fifth permanent managerial appointment in seven years.
David Moyes, Julen Lopetegui and Graham Potter have all had spells in charge since December 2019.
Reacting to the Chelsea loss, Nuno admitted his frustration and urged his players to bounce back.
He said: “It’s sad that this game went away from us. We have to react, bounce back and go again.”
Captain Jarrod Bowen echoed those sentiments, admitting the second-half performance was not good enough.
West Ham now face a huge clash with 19th-placed Burnley on February 7 before hosting Manchester United three days later.
Chelsea ratings vs West Ham: Pedro is Blues’ saviour off bench again but hooked Garnacho is woeful
JOAO PEDRO came off the bench to inspire a stunning 3-2 comeback win for Chelsea against West Ham.
The striker found himself on the bench despite scoring twice in the Blues’ Champions League victory at Napoli earlier this week.
But he turned the game on its head when he was introduced at the break, after Jarrod Bowen and Crysencio Summerville had given West Ham a two-goal advantage.
Pedro got the comeback up and running before fellow sub Marc Cucurella levelled matters.
Pedro then set up Enzo Fernandez for a dramatic stoppage time winner to leave West Ham, who ended the contest with ten men after Jean-Clair Todibo’s red card, empty-handed.
SunSport’s Jack Rosser has given his ratings of the Blues players…
Read the full article here
