Forest Close In On Pereira After Dyche Exit; Silva Deal Ruled Out

Nottingham Forest are edging towards appointing Vitor Pereira as their next head coach, according to the latest reports, as the club moves swiftly to fill the void left by Sean Dyche's dismissal on Wednesday evening.

Dyche's exit marks the third managerial change at the City Ground this season, following the departures of Ange Postecoglou and Nuno Espirito Santo. The former Everton and Burnley manager had been brought in to stabilise matters but found himself shown the door as Forest's relegation concerns deepened.

The final straw came after a goalless stalemate against Wolves in midweek—a match in which Forest peppered the opposition goal with 35 attempts yet failed to find the breakthrough. Dyche was relieved of his duties hours after the full-time whistle, with the club issuing a brief statement thanking him for his efforts.

Pereira, who was previously dismissed by Wolves earlier this campaign, has emerged as the leading candidate to take over. Journalist Ben Jacobs confirmed that direct negotiations have begun between the Portuguese coach and Forest, with multiple sources now indicating a deal is in its final stages. Fabrizio Romano reported that Pereira is "on the verge" of becoming the club's new head coach, pending the resolution of contractual matters with his former employers at Molineux.

However, the appointment represents a compromise rather than Forest's first choice. Marco Silva, currently at Fulham, is understood to be the club's genuine top target, but prying him away from Craven Cottage appears virtually impossible. That leaves Pereira as the leading realistic option, though the shortlist extends to at least eight other candidates.

Among those under consideration is Javi Gracia, the former Watford and Leeds boss who walked away from Vicarage Road earlier this month. Gracia's experience navigating relegation scraps makes him an attractive proposition as a pragmatic, stabilising influence.

Owner Evangelos Marinakis is also exploring candidates with connections to Olympiakos, his Greek club. That group includes Paulo Bento, the former Portugal manager, alongside Spaniards Diego Martinez, Michel, and Oscar Garcia—currently coaching Jong Ajax after his stint managing Watford.

The managerial carousel at Forest reflects a turbulent campaign under Marinakis's stewardship. The club went from European hopefuls under Nuno to relegation candidates, with the dramatic downturn in fortunes proving too much for successive managers to reverse.