Nottingham Forest have appointed Vitor Pereira as their fourth manager of the season, the club confirmed on Sunday, as they battle to avoid relegation from the Premier League.
The 57-year-old Portuguese coach has signed an 18-month contract following the dismissal of Sean Dyche earlier this week. Dyche was sacked just hours after Wednesday’s goalless draw against bottom side Wolverhampton Wanderers at the City Ground.
“Nottingham Forest is delighted to confirm that Vitor Pereira has been appointed as head coach on an 18-month deal,” the club said in a statement.
Pereira, who previously managed Wolves before being dismissed in November after a poor start to the campaign, will be tasked with steering Forest clear of the relegation zone. The club currently sit three points above the drop with 12 games remaining.
Dyche’s tenure lasted just 114 days, following the brief 39-day spell of Ange Postecoglou earlier in the season. Forest had also parted ways with Nuno Espirito Santo despite his seventh-place finish last term, which secured the club’s first European qualification since 1995-96. Reports indicated disagreements with owner Evangelos Marinakis over transfer policy contributed to Nuno’s departure.
Pereira previously worked under Marinakis at Greek giants Olympiacos and built his reputation at FC Porto, where he won back-to-back league titles.
His managerial résumé also includes spells at Fenerbahce, Saudi side Al Ahli, China’s Shanghai SIPG, and Brazilian clubs Corinthians and Flamengo.
Pereira’s first assignment will be next week’s Europa League play-off first leg away to Fenerbahce, but his primary objective remains securing Forest’s Premier League survival.
