(Credit: Imago)

Callum O'Connell

Mon 4 May 2026 18:15, UK

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Nuno Espirito Santo is highly likely to leave West Ham United if they are relegated from the Premier League and they are already assessing replacements.

The Hammers sunk into the relegation zone following their 3-0 defeat to Brentford last time out while rivals Tottenham beat Aston Villa 2-1 at Villa Park.

With just three games left to play and tough fixtures against Arsenal, Newcastle and Leeds, they are now being forced to prepare for relegation.

Former Hammers scout Mick Brown told Football Insider that West Ham are already eyeing replacements for Nuno and have a number of potential options in mind.

The new manager will be tasked with securing promotion from the Championship and will ideally have experience at that level, as West Ham make plans for their next manager.

Why could Nuno Espirito Santo leave West Ham?

Brown told Football Insider in March that West Ham will get relegated, but insisted the blame should be placed firmly on the board rather than the manager.

However, should they suffer relegation, Nuno will likely move on and will have no shortage of Premier League suitors should he wish to remain in the top flight.

As a result, the Hammers will be forced to find a replacement, and preparations are now ongoing behind the scenes so they do not miss out on key targets.

“Nuno isn’t going to stick around if West Ham get relegated,” Brown told Football Insider.

“He will have other options in the Premier League, he’s been at Wolves, Tottenham, Forest, West Ham, and he’s proven to be a very capable manager.

“So if they drop into the Championship, West Ham will have to find a new manager.

“That process will already be happening behind the scenes, they’ll be assessing their options and looking at who might be available and willing to come in.

“It’ll probably be somebody who has managed in the Championship before, I expect, because they’ll be looking to bounce straight back up next season.”

Which managers could be on West Ham’s shortlist?

While the club’s focus remains on staying in the Premier League as things stand, preparations for the drop into the Championship have already begun behind the scenes.

There has not been any recent news about potential managerial candidates, but a number of long-term targets have been considered over the course of the season.

Football Insider revealed earlier this year that West Ham could appoint Slaven Bilic, who was open to a return to East London while Nuno’s position was uncertain.

He remains highly thought of by the board at the London Stadium and could be a contender to take over if they drop into the Championship.

Meanwhile, Kieran McKenna has been a long-term target for West Ham, but after Ipswich Town were promoted to the Premier League, it could be hard to lure him away.