The collapse of the EURO champion's transfer deal as he returns to the Premier League

20/10/2025 10:25:00 FieldFrenzy

Coach Roberto Mancini has formally terminated talks with Nottingham Forest and will not take the helm as their new head coach.

Previously, Nottingham Forest dismissed coach Ange Postecoglou just hours after their 0-3 defeat to Chelsea last weekend. He is the second manager to be sacked at City Ground this season, following Nuno Espírito Santo’s departure in September.

The poor performance, with only 2 draws and 6 losses in 8 matches, has dropped Forest to 18th place in the standings, putting them at risk of fighting to avoid relegation this season.

Ange Postecoglou is the next Premier League manager to lose his job (Photo: Club)

Immediately after Postecoglou’s exit, Nottingham Forest’s leadership reached out to Mancini, who is currently unemployed after leaving the Saudi Arabia national team, hoping to lure him back to Europe. The 60-year-old coach gained fame by leading Manchester City to the Premier League title in 2011/12 and guiding Italy to victory at EURO 2020.

However, according to Fabrizio Romano, after 24 hours of negotiations, the two parties failed to reach an agreement. Differences in vision and contract terms caused the talks to stall, and both sides agreed that “this is not the right time.”

euro-2020-roberto-mancini — Coach Roberto Mancini, who won EURO 2020 with Italy (Photo: Express)

Besides Mancini, Nottingham Forest reportedly contacted Sean Dyche, former Burnley and Everton manager, considered a safer choice due to his extensive experience in relegation battles. Additionally, some Italian sources mentioned the possibility of Forest approaching Luciano Spalletti, but this was quickly denied.

Mancini’s withdrawal leaves Nottingham Forest still in a “managerial crisis” after just 10 rounds. With a congested schedule ahead, including a Europa League match against FC Porto next week, club president Evangelos Marinakis’s team must urgently appoint a successor to stabilize the situation before it spirals out of control.

Round 8