Jose Mourinho lined up for shock Premier League return after 'spectacular fallout'

Jose Mourinho could be targeted by Nottingham Forest if the current behind the scenes turmoil involving Nuno Espirito Santo results in the Portuguese coach being removed from his post.

Forest enjoyed a fine 2024-25 campaign under Nuno, who secured European football by guiding the club to a seventh-place finish in the Premier League. But reports claiming the club could be about to sack their manager emerged on Friday - and Nuno only fuelled such talk in his press conference later that day after claiming his relationship with Evangelos Marinakis, Forest's owner, had broken down.

It has since emerged that Nuno and Forest's new global head of football, Edu, had a 'spectacular fallout' shortly after the former Arsenal chief took up his new position.

And with Nuno's position now up in the air, The Sun claim that Mourinho is among the managers that Forest have in mind should they decide to make a managerial change.

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It remains to be seen if Mourinho, who has extensive Premier League experience following spells with Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham, would be interested in a return to England. He is currently the head coach of Fenerbahce and guided the Turkish giants to a second-place finish in his maiden year at the helm.

Ange Postecoglou is another name that Forest have on their list of prospective replacements. He has been unattached since leaving Tottenham earlier this summer, shortly after winning the Europa League.

Nuno is poised to take charge of Nottingham Forest's trip to Crystal Palace on Sunday. But it remains to be seen if he will remain in his post long-term after voluntarily revealing his relationship with Marinakis had broken down.

He said: “I always had a very good relationship with the owner. Last season was very, very, very close, almost on a daily basis.

"This season, not so well. But I always believe that dialogue and what you say or your opinion, is always valid, because my concern is the squad and the season that we have ahead of us, but our relationship has changed. I think everybody at the club should be together but this is not the reality."

When he was asked about reports he could be sacked, Nuno replied: “Where there's smoke, there's fire, so I know how things work. But I'm here to do my job. I understand because I'm worried. I'm the first one to be worried. I'm the first one to be concerned.”

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