The Portuguese manager met with the club's senior leadership on Monday in what was described as a straightforward conversation. Both West Ham and Nuno had the right to walk away without compensation following Sunday's final-day relegation — confirmed by Tottenham Hotspur's 1-0 win over Everton despite West Ham's own 3-0 victory over Leeds United. Neither party did so.
"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," the club said in an open letter to supporters. "That must be the unquestionable goal for next season."
West Ham United's board pointed to Nuno's record with Wolves in the Championship as the primary basis for their confidence. He won the 2017-18 title with 99 points, gaining promotion to the Premier League before taking Wolves to a Europa League quarter-final the following season.
The circumstances in the Championship this time will be markedly different.
At Wolves, Nuno had Rúben Neves as a controlling midfielder and a structure built for the division. The West Ham squad he inherits for the second tier contains players whose market value and wage demands make it extremely difficult to maintain them in a league without the financial weight of the Premier League.
The Hammers face losses estimated at £200 million from relegation alone, compounding a £104 million accounting loss revealed in their most recent financial accounts. The Telegraph has reported that the club needs to generate approximately £150 million from player sales this summer simply to stabilise their financial position.
Those sales will involve key players. Portugal midfielder Mateus Fernandes, who received a Premier League Young Player of the Year nomination in his debut season, is valued at up to £80 million and has attracted interest from Manchester United. Captain Jarrod Bowen, who hinted publicly at staying but has Premier League interest from multiple clubs, is another whose departure cannot be ruled out. Right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka has been linked with a £10 million move to Everton.
West Ham are not in denial about any of this.
"We cannot shy away from the fact our season has not been good enough," the club's statement acknowledged, before adding that 25 points taken from their final 17 Premier League matches — a rate of 1.47 per game, equivalent to seventh place over a full season — gave them reason to back Nuno's continued tenure.
He kept his job. Now he has to earn it back.