Nuno Espírito Santo will remain at West Ham United next season despite their relegation from the Premier League, the club have confirmed.
West Ham's 14-year stay in the top flight came to an end on the final day of the 2025-26 campaign despite a 3-0 win against Leeds United. Tottenham's victory over Everton ensured they claimed survival and condemned West Ham to relegation.
But there will be no change of manager ahead of next season's Championship season, they have confirmed.
"The football operation always has to be our first priority and the planning for next season started as soon as the final whistle sounded on Sunday," a statement read.
"We held meetings with Head Coach Nuno Espírito Santo early this week and are pleased to confirm that he has expressed his continued commitment to the club -- as we have to him. Nuno made it very clear that he is highly motivated for the challenge of guiding West Ham United back to the top flight at the first time of asking. That must be the unquestionable goal for next season.
"Nuno has spent one previous year in the EFL Championship and it was an outstanding success as he secured 99 points to win the title with Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2018.
"While the ultimate outcome on Sunday was a painful one, the Board of Directors believe that there have been broader signs of improvement and progress in recent months, and we want Nuno to continue developing that progress.
"A total of 25 points taken from our final 17 Premier League matches equated to 1.47 points per game -- a ratio that would have resulted in a seventh-place finish across the full season. Furthermore, we feel the clear improvement in squad mentality and togetherness since January, leading to that upturn in performances and results, makes him the right man to lead us forward."
Captain Jarrod Bowen previously posted to social media: "It's hard to post something like this when all you're feeling is embarrassment and pain.
"I could write loads trying to explain where it all went wrong this season, but honestly what you deserve from me is an apology.
"Winning that trophy in Prague was the best night of my career. Sunday was the worst.
"We just weren't good enough. Simple as that. And that's why the season ended the way it did."
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But West Ham's players have been criticised for their effort levels by Wayne Rooney during the relegation run-in.
"You can't be unlucky after 38 games," Rooney said. "The fact of the matter is you deserve to go down.
"They've been really poor for long periods and eventually what happens at the top of the football club, I've always said it, filters down on to the pitch and that's what's happened at West Ham.
"Not good enough defensively, haven't scored enough goals and ultimately their recruitment over the years has been really, really poor. So no, they're not unlucky."