Nottingham Forest have appointed Vitor Pereira as their fourth manager of the season in a bid to steer the club away from relegation danger. Pereira, formerly in charge at Wolves, has signed an 18-month deal with the struggling Premier League side following the dismissal of Sean Dyche earlier this week.
A club statement confirmed the appointment, saying: “Nottingham Forest is delighted to announce Vitor Pereira as head coach on an 18-month contract.” The 57-year-old Portuguese manager inherits a team hovering just three points above the relegation zone with 12 games remaining, with the immediate challenge of stabilizing their league form.
Forest’s recent season has been tumultuous. Dyche’s tenure ended after a goalless draw against bottom-placed Wolves on Wednesday, just hours after the match concluded at the City Ground. His stint lasted only 114 days, coming after Ange Postecoglou’s brief 39-day spell in charge. Prior to this, Nuno Espirito Santo had guided Forest to a remarkable seventh-place finish last season, securing European competition for the first time since 1995–96. However, disputes over transfer policy with owner Evangelos Marinakis prompted Nuno’s exit after 21 months at the helm.
Pereira brings extensive managerial experience to the role. He notably saved Wolves from relegation in the 2024–25 season but struggled to replicate that success this term before his November departure. He has previously worked under Forest owner Marinakis during his time at Greek side Olympiacos. His résumé also includes successful spells at Porto, where he won consecutive league titles, as well as stints in Saudi Arabia with Al Ahli, in Turkey with Fenerbahce, in China with Shanghai SIPG, and in Brazil with Corinthians and Flamengo.
Pereira’s first assignment in charge of Forest will be next week’s Europa League play-off first leg against Fenerbahce, though the club’s primary focus remains securing Premier League survival. Despite creating 35 shots against Wolves, Forest struggled to convert opportunities in recent matches, highlighting the immediate task ahead for the new manager as he looks to stabilize results and maintain the club’s top-flight status.
