Former Wolves and Tottenham Hotspur coach Nuno Espirito Santo has played down reports that he could return to the Premier League after Everton sacked Frank Lampard on Monday afternoon, speaking to Arabic Sport.
Cast your mind back to the heady days of Wolverhampton Wanderers under Nuno Espirito Santo.
A team greater than the sum of its parts, rising from the bottom-half of the Championship to the quarter-finals of the Europa League within just three years. A team with a clear, coherent, consistent game-plan, built upon organisation, team-work and a solid defensive problem.
Nuno’s Wolves were, in many ways, the absolute opposite of a Moshiri-era Everton outfit.
No wonder the 48-year-old Portuguese is one of the early frontrunners to take over from Lampard at Goodison Park; that excellent work at Molineux ensuring his reputation emerged largely unscathed from a short-lived and ill-fated spell at a confused and mis-managed Tottenham Hotspur side.
Who will replace Frank Lampard as Everton manager
Nuno, however, is currently under contract until 2024 with Saudi Arabian outfit Al-Ittihad. A team nicknamed, funnily enough, The People’s Club. Al-Ittihad are just two points off the top of the Saudi Arabia Pro League table, though. And Nuno is quick to dismiss any speculation when quizzed about his future.
“We always hear rumours,” says the one-time FC Porto goalkeeper. “But I do not pay attention to them. My focus is currently with the team.”
Nuno, who worked with Everton defender Conor Coady at Wolves and turned the one-time Championship stopper into an England international, was ‘close’ to taking over at Goodison back in 2021 before the rather bizarre decision to hand the reigns to Liverpool legend Rafa Benitez (Sky Sports).
Nuno, then, appears to have a long-time admirer in the shape of Toffees chief Farhad Moshiri.
The ex-Valencia coach was linked with a return to Wolves before Julen Lopetegui’s arrival the other side of Christmas; committing his future to Al-Ittihad then too.
“Currently, I am not thinking of leaving the Saudi Federation,” Nuno said in October. “My thoughts are now on how to prepare the players. How to improve their level on the field, and learn more about their abilities to achieve distinguished results.”
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
