BRENDAN RODGERS is Nottingham Forest’s top target when they make their move for a new boss.
The Celtic chief, 52, is hugely admired by owner Evangelos Marinakis, whose relationship with manager Nuno Espirito Santo has broken down.
Straight-talking Marinakis has had his sights on Rodgers for months. And the time may be right to strike soon to bring the former Liverpool and Leicester manager back to England.
Rodgers is in the final year of his Bhoys deal and he has walked out on them before. If he left again the compensation fee would not be an issue.
Forest are going into a big campaign at home and in Europe but that has not stopped a rift between owner and coach developing. Nuno, 51, has publicly moaned about a lack of signings and admitted there is “no smoke without fire” regarding claims he could be sacked.
Marinakis is expected to pull the plug next week — when Celtic have a huge Champions League qualifier in Kazakhstan with Kairat.
If Celtic miss out and fail to land players in the window it makes Rodgers’ exit much easier.
Ange Postecoglou , 59, has also been linked with Forest and is clear to take a job after leaving Tottenham in the summer.
But he may yet replace Rodgers at Celtic.
Jose Mourinho , 62, in charge at Fenerbahce , has been linked but would be expensive and comes with his own fiery reputation.
Nuno is set to take charge at Crystal Palace despite the axe looming.
He revealed that his relationship with owner Marinakis, 58, had broken down in a bombshell press conference on Friday.
His remarks came a week after he publicly voiced concerns that the club had been slow to sign players ahead of the City Ground curtain-raising win over Brentford .
That seemed to be aimed at Forest transfer chief Edu — the ex- Arsenal technical director — who SunSport understands he has fallen out with.
Nuno revealed his daily contact with Marinakis is now no longer the case.
Four new players arrived in the days after his pre-season comments.
But suggestions the deals had improved Nuno’s mood were shot down by the Portuguese’s ‘no smoke without fire’ rant.
Nuno says his job today will be to keep the players’ distractions to a minimum.
He said: “We had a fantastic season, so I understand fans will be worried.
“When these things come out in the media, it’s because something’s going on.
“But the players know everything on social media, it’s now my job to focus them for the game.
“When the ball starts rolling, everything else finishes.”
