Revealed: The brutal way Vitor Pereira found out about Nottingham Forest sacking just two minutes before termination clause expired

In a development that highlights the unforgiving nature of Evangelos Marinakis' leadership, Pereira’s tenure at Nottingham Forest has come to a sudden and brutal end. TalkSPORThas emerged detailing the clinical manner of his departure, with the decision according to the outlet communicated just two minutes before a specific termination clause in his contract was set to expire at midnight, which would have made his removal significantly more expensive for the club. Instead of receiving a phone call from one of head honchos, the notification came to Pereira in an email at 11.58pm. 

The 57-year-old had only been in the job since February, but the Forest hierarchy decided to act before the start of pre-season training. The move comes as a shock to many, especially considering that the club had expressed an interest in extending Pereira's contract earlier this summer. The report adds that he had been planning on Forest's pre-season preparations and was caught by surprise by the club's decision.

Forest have moved rapidly to identify a successor, with Glasner poised to take the reins. The Austrian tactician has been a free agent since leaving Crystal Palace at the end of the previous campaign, where he enjoyed a highly successful stint. Glasner notably led the Eagles to UEFA Conference League glory, a feat that secured their place in next season's Europa League.

His appointment adds a fascinating layer of irony to the Premier League landscape, as Forest actually took Palace's original spot in the Europa League last term. Glasner’s arrival is seen as a major coup for Forest, as they look to build on the foundations laid during a chaotic but ultimately successful 2025-26 campaign. The former Eintracht Frankfurt boss brings significant European pedigree to the East Midlands as the club prepare for another season of top-flight and continental football.

Pereira’s exit is particularly surprising given the results he achieved during his 20 matches in charge. He successfully steered the Garibaldi away from the threat of relegation and orchestrated a memorable run to the Europa League semi-finals. Though they were eventually eliminated by English rivals Aston Villa, the Portuguese manager finished with a respectable record of eight wins, six draws, and six defeats.

Fortunately for Pereira, his unemployment could be brief, as talkSPORT understands that Saudi Pro League giants Al-Hilal are keen on securing his services with a highly lucrative contract offer on the table.

In a statement released later on Wednesday, the Portuguese manager confirmed he was blindsided by the club's decision, expressing his deep surprise at being given his marching orders: " 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."

Pereira's sudden departure and Glasner's reportedly imminent appointment means Nottingham Forest are bringing on their fifth manager since the start of the 2025-26 campaign; a chaotic year that saw Ange Postecoglou replace Nuno Espirito Santo in September for a winless eight-game spell, followed by Sean Dyche's brief stabilizing tenure from October until his sacking in February, which originally paved the way for Pereira's arrival just three days later.