After sacking Sean Dyche, Evangelos Marinakis may turn to a trusted ally whose contract expires this summer and whose bond with him runs deep
Nottingham Forest’s relegation worries have prompted another decisive move from Evangelos Marinakis, with Sean Dyche becoming the latest managerial casualty at the City Ground.
Sitting 17th in the Premier League and just three points above the drop zone, Forest are once again searching for stability at a critical stage of the season.
Marinakis is no stranger to bold calls. Since purchasing Forest in 2017, he has appointed 12 permanent managers. At Olympiacos, the number rises even higher.
Yet while the focus is on who can steady the ship immediately, there is a longer-term possibility that could become relevant this summer – involving someone the Greek owner has publicly described as far more than just a coach.
That man is Ernesto Valverde. The Spaniard enjoyed two successful spells at Olympiacos, delivering three league titles across those periods and lifting the Greek Cup twice. His teams were not only dominant domestically but competitive in Europe, helping elevate the club’s reputation beyond Greece.
Their relationship has always extended beyond football. When Olympiacos won the UEFA Europa Conference League, Valverde — then managing Athletic Club — joined the celebrations. Marinakis did not hide his admiration
“Ernesto Valverde is my friend, I love him very much. Above all he is a great person and a great coach, one of the best in the world.”
Years earlier, when Valverde left Olympiacos in 2012 for family reasons, Marinakis spoke in similarly emotional terms.
“To me, Ernesto Valverde is, above all, a friend and then a colleague. […] With Ernesto Valverde playing a key part in this effort of ours, we managed to win two titles in the Greek Super League… our team works, in all aspects, as a family.
“Ernesto Valverde himself, with his presence in Greece, elevated Greek football…”
Rafa Benítez was a strong candidate to become Nottingham Forest manager before going for Sean Dyche.
Evangelos Marinakis’ decision not to hire him has come back to bite him, twice.https://t.co/W8V5cvTRMI #NFFC
— BBSportNews (@thebbsportnews) February 12, 2026
A summer opportunity rather than an immediate solution?
For now, Forest require urgency. A manager capable of lifting results immediately is the priority, making a mid-season move for Valverde unlikely.
However, circumstances could shift in the summer. Athletic Club are enduring a difficult campaign, currently 10th in LaLiga and recently beaten at home by Real Sociedad in the first leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final. Valverde’s contract expires at the end of the season, and there has been little indication of an extension.
That timing may tempt Marinakis. In the short term, bookmakers have installed Vítor Pereira – another former Olympiacos league-and-cup winner with Premier League experience at Wolves – as favourite. Marco Silva, now at Fulham and also a former Greek champion under Marinakis, remains a respected figure but would be harder to prise away.
Yet few managers occupy the same personal space in Marinakis’ thinking. If the summer brings change once more, the owner’s favourite manager could re-emerge as a compelling possibility.