LONDON — West Ham hired Nuno Espirito Santo as their new manager just hours after sacking Graham Potter yesterday. 

Nuno, axed by Nottingham Forest earlier this season, agreed a three-year contract with the Premier League strugglers and will take charge of his first game at Everton on Monday.

Potter’s exit, which came only nine months after his appointment, was widely expected after the Hammers slumped to second bottom of the table.

“I am very pleased to be here and very proud to be representing West Ham United,” Nuno, 51, said.

“My objective is to work hard to get the very best from the team and ensure that we are as competitive as we possibly can be.

“The work has already started and I am looking forward to the challenge that is ahead.”

Former Tottenham and Wolves boss Nuno was dismissed by Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis three weeks ago after the pair fell out over the club’s transfer policy.

Nuno had earned praise for lifting Forest into European competition for the first time in 30 years last season via a seventh-place finish in the Premier League.

The Portuguese coach also impressed at Wolves, helping establish them in the top-flight before leaving for a turbulent 17-match spell at Tottenham that ended in the sack.

Potter managed just three points from West Ham’s five league matches this season, while they also crashed out of the League Cup against Wolves.

The former Chelsea and Brighton manager only took the reins at the London Stadium in January, with last season’s disappointing 14th place finish putting pressure on him to hit the ground running this season.

Last weekend’s home defeat against Crystal Palace proved the final straw.