Saudi Arabian giants Al-Ittihad have officially announced the appointment of former Wolverhampton Wanderers and Tottenham Hotspur manager Nuno Espirito Santo. The 48-year-old joins Al-Ittihad following the departure of Romanian boss Cosmin Contra.
Nuno Espirito Santo Joins Al-Ittihad
Nuno Santo is here 💛🖤
Welcome Coach 🤝 pic.twitter.com/3yL0aqaWLC— Ittihad Club (@ittihad_en) July 4, 2022
Portuguese Manager Signs Two-Year Contract With Saudi Arabian Giants
Nuno Espirito Santo will once again be seen on the touchline after Saudi Arabian giants Al-Ittihad hired the Portuguese manager. Santo, who was a goalkeeper in his playing days, joins the Asian club on a two-year contract until the summer of 2024. Following his announcement, Nuno expressed his delight in joining Al-Ittihad with a brief message to the club fanbase through the official platform, Nuno said: “It’s an honour for me to join the greatest club in Saudi Arabia, Ittihad. See you soon.”
Santo joins Al-Ittihad with a wealth of Premier League experience behind him. He is one of the most successful managers in Wolves’ recent history. Santo arrived at Molineux in 2017 and guided the club back to the Premier League for the first time in six seasons after an outstanding 2017/18 season that saw Wolves comprehensively winning the Championship. He followed that with two back-to-back seventh-place finishes, the highest in the club’s Premier League history and became the longest-serving Wolves manager towards the end of his reign, surpassing Mick McCarthy.
Nuno Espírito Santo
Thank you
🧡#wwfc pic.twitter.com/97fzx6s2Zd— Jonathan Ward (@JonathanWard7) May 23, 2021
Following a move to Tottenham Hotspur at the end of the 2020/21 season, he had a torrid time. Despite a bright start to the season, Santo was sacked just four months into the job following a poor string of results.
Read More: Tottenham Sack Nuno Espírito Santo
Al-Ittihad Putting Their Money on Nuno Espirito Santo
Nuno Espirito Santo joins an Al-Ittihad side deprived of the league title since 2009. The team had come agonisingly close to ending the drought last season, only to fall two points short. Nuno will be without the service of last season’s top goalscorer Fahad Al-Muwallad. The 27-year-old Saudi Arabian international is serving an 18-month ban after testing positive for a banned substance last April.
