Vitor Pereira: Nottingham Forest confirm head coach exit with Oliver Glasner in talks to replace him
Nottingham Forest have confirmed Vitor Pereira's exit after triggering a mutual clause in his contract; ex-Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner is closing in on a three-year deal to succeed Pereira; Austrian is a free agent after his Palace deal officially expired
Thursday 2 July 2026 18:34, UK
Nottingham Forest have confirmed Vitor Pereira's exit as they close in on appointing Oliver Glasner as his replacement at the City Ground.
Forest triggered a mutual termination clause in Pereira's deal and his entire coaching staff will depart the club alongside him.
A statement from Forest said: "We would like to place on record our sincere thanks to Vitor and his team for their hard work and commitment throughout their time at the club.
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"They represented Forest with enormous dedication, helping to secure the club's status in the Premier League, guiding the squad to the semi-finals of the UEFA Europa League, and providing us with the foundation upon which we will continue to build."
Sky Sports News understands Glasner, who has been out of contract since departing Crystal Palace at the end of the 2025/26 season, is close to agreeing a three-year deal to succeed Pereira.
The confirmation from the club comes one day after Pereira released a statement saying he was set to depart Forest.
He said: "Today marks the end of my journey as head coach of Nottingham Forest.
"I want to say a sincere thank you to everyone connected with this incredible football club.
"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."
Pereira signed an 18-month contract at the City Ground in February and guided Forest to Premier League survival and the Europa League semi-final.
But Forest have decided to move on from the Portuguese, with their attentions turning to Glasner.
The Austrian was linked with a number of top jobs across European football after he won the Conference League last season and the FA Cup the season before.
Why Glasner's Forest move would be controversial for Palace
A potential move to the City Ground for Glasner comes amid previous tensions between Forest and Palace.
Both indirectly went head to head for a place in last season's Europa League, with UEFA eventually ruling Forest would enter the second-tier competition at the expense of Palace.
The south London club were excluded due to previous co-owner John Textor holding a controlling interest in Lyon.
The outcome led to Palace fans holding up a graphic banner about Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis during their 1-1 Premier League draw at Selhurst Park on August 24.
Palace were charged with misconduct by the Football Association.
Despite their demotion to the Conference League, Glasner led the club to European glory with a 1-0 final win over Rayo Vallecano in May.
The victory means the Eagles will be playing in the Europa League next season, while Forest are without European football.
Pereira's statement in full...
"Today marks the end of my journey as head coach of Nottingham Forest.
"I want to say a sincere thank you to everyone connected with this incredible football club.
"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.
"Together, we enjoyed a memorable end to the season. We secured the club's Premier League status, reached the semi-finals of the Europa League, and created moments that will stay with me forever.
"Most importantly, I saw a group of players grow in confidence, belief and togetherness.
"Watching them develop, fight for one another and represent this club with passion has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career.
"I would like to thank my coaching staff, the players, everyone behind the scenes, and especially the supporters. From my first day, your passion, loyalty and unwavering support made me feel incredibly welcome. You were with us through every challenge and every success, and I will always be grateful for that.
"I leave Nottingham Forest with no bitterness or resentment - only respect, gratitude and wonderful memories.
"Football is full of unexpected moments, and while this chapter has ended sooner than I expected, I will always look back on my time here with pride and affection.
"I wish the players, the staff, the supporters and everyone at Nottingham Forest every success in the future.
"This is a special club, and I sincerely hope it continues to grow and achieve great things.
"Thank you for everything, Vitor Pereira."
