Nottingham Forest sack Vitor Pereira without warning as Glasner move edges closer

Nottingham Forest have parted ways with head coach Vitor Pereira, with the Portuguese manager revealing in a public statement that he received no warning before being informed of his dismissal.

Pereira, who signed an 18-month contract at the City Ground in February, guided Forest to Premier League survival and a Europa League semi-final appearance before a break clause in his deal for June allowed the club to move on. He had been actively involved in pre-season planning and player recruitment meetings at the time of his exit.

“Today marks the end of my journey as head coach of Nottingham Forest,” Pereira said. “Although this decision came as a complete surprise to me and without any warning, I fully respect the club’s right to make the decisions it believes are best for its future. Naturally, I am disappointed and saddened. I truly believed in what we were building together, and I leave with a sense of pride in everything we achieved over the past months.”

The 56-year-old won eight of his 20 matches in charge, securing a fifth successive season in the Premier League for the club — having also kept Wolverhampton Wanderers up the season prior.

Pereira paid tribute to the players and supporters in his statement, describing the experience of coaching the Forest squad as “one of the most rewarding experiences of my career”. He added: “I leave Nottingham Forest with no bitterness or resentment — only respect, gratitude and wonderful memories.”

Forest are understood to have already identified a replacement. Oliver Glasner, who left Crystal Palace at the end of last season, is reported to be in line to take over. The Austrian had attracted interest from several clubs across European football after winning the FA Cup in 2024-25 and the UEFA Conference League the following year.

The timing of the announcement drew attention, with the news breaking during England’s international fixture — a detail that added an unusual backdrop to what Pereira described as an abrupt end to his tenure at the City Ground.