West Ham emergency options revealed as Nuno Espirito Santo edges closer to the sack

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Credit: Imago Mon 29 December 2025 12:00, UK West Ham are closely considering a decision that would see them sack a third manager within the space of a year.On Saturday, West Ham lost 1-0 to Fulham at the London Stadium, marking a seventh consecutive Premier League game without victory.Nuno Espirito Santo replaced Graham Potter, who had replaced Julen Lopetegui in January, but the former Tottenham boss has had many of the same issues as his predecessors.Despite a brief period of good form in November, the Hammers have reverted to type in recent weeks and are now staring down the barrel of just seven league wins in 2025.West Ham are now facing a real chance of relegation, especially given the revitalised form of Leeds United and Nottingham Forest.Credit: ImagoWest Ham edge towards Nuno Espirito Santo sackWest Ham are now paying serious consideration to the sacking of Nuno, with decision-makers at the London Stadium desperate to avoid relegation.The drop would be detrimental for the club’s finances and would likely see them lose the likes of stand-outs Jarrod Bowen and El Hadj Malick Diouf.Nuno Espirito SantoWest HamWins2Draws4Losses6Scored14Conceded22 MORE FOOTBALL INSIDER STORIES The Hammers last went down at the end of the 2010-11 season, but were promoted immediately after winning the Championship play-offs.But West Ham will be deathly aware of the possibility of a fall akin to the one Sunderland experienced after they were relegated at the end of the 2016-17 season. The Black Cats finally returned to the top flight this year, after eight years spent in League One and the Championship.According to talkSPORT, West Ham will consider sacking Nuno if their form does not improve in the coming games.What managers are available to replace Nuno?It is all well and good sacking Nuno, but West Ham would need to rapidly find a competent replacement and to do that, they would likely need to seek a manager not in a job at the moment.The likes of Erik ten Hag and Ange Postecoglou are available, but both managers have experienced disastrous tenures of late and would bring a big element of risk.Of course, there is a classic appointment on the table in Sam Allardyce.

Leeds hired him at the end of the 2022-23 season in a desperate attempt to avoid relegation, but did not win any of his four games in charge.Ten Hag left Bayer Leverkusen in September (Credit Imago)One rogue option could be that of Gareth Southgate, who has been linked with various jobs since stepping down as England manager. The 55-year-old is generally thought to have done a good job with the Three Lions, but he has not managed at the club level since 2009.

There are a host of former Wolves managers on offer, too, and, despite how it ended, Vitor Pereira did guide his team to six consecutive Premier League victories to avoid relegation last season.But West Ham have already made that mistake with Lopetegui, and would be hesitant to do it again.Credit: ImagoMichael Carrick could be an inspired appointment, with the former Hammers midfielder having transformed Middlesbrough in the Championship, but he lacks experience managing in the top flight.The harsh reality for West Ham, is that any mid-season appointment they do make will have their drawbacks. The question is, with relegation on the line, how much risk are decision-makers willing to accept?