West Ham United have sacked head coach Nuno Espirito Santo after a disappointing start to the Championship season and are in advanced talks to appoint former Burnley, Bournemouth and Fulham manager Scott Parker as his replacement.
The 52-year-old Portuguese coach paid the price for the club's poor form, with West Ham currently eighth in the Championship table, six points behind leaders Middlesbrough. They have won only two of their last six games and suffered back-to-back home defeats against Southampton and West Bromwich Albion.
Assistant head coach Rui Pedro Silva and goalkeeper coach Rui Barbosa have also departed. Mark Noble, Steve Potts and Gerard Prenderville will take temporary charge for Wednesday's trip to Cardiff City.
The club statement said a thorough review of the start to the season led to the decision to ensure objectives remain on track. West Ham are seeking their fourth permanent manager since David Moyes left in May 2024, following Julen Lopetegui and Graham Potter.
Parker, a former England midfielder who made 129 appearances for West Ham, has won promotion from the Championship three times as a manager with Fulham, Bournemouth and Burnley. The club hierarchy believes he understands the club and culture, and fans can get behind him.
West Ham posted losses of over £104m and sold several players over the summer, raising about £150m. They spent a Championship record £22m on midfielder Arne Engels and £12m on winger Edvin Austbo, while retaining key players like Jarrod Bowen, Tomas Soucek and Konstantinos Mavropanos.
Analysts say an immediate return to the Premier League is imperative given the estimated £200m loss in revenue. Parker's experience makes him the obvious choice, and the club is wasting no time in finalizing the deal.
