Nottingham Forest have agreed to send Morato to West Ham United on loan, with Nuno Espírito Santo personally requesting the defender for his Championship side.
The deal was closed on Tuesday morning, deadline day, according to ESPN Brazil.
Morato will spend the entire 2026/27 season with West Ham. The agreement also includes an option to buy the 25-year-old permanently.
And that is a quick conclusion to a situation which changed significantly over the past few days.
Nuno Espírito Santo asks for Morato
Last week, ESPN revealed Nottingham Forest had opened the door to a loan for Morato. That immediately created possibilities elsewhere. Roma made an offer, while there was also interest from Italy. But nothing really materialised.
In the end, Morato will stay in England. ESPN Brazil still credited Roma and Torino as the Italian clubs who wanted him. But the Brazilian defender prioritised remaining in English football, where he has played since leaving Benfica in 2024.
West Ham then had another significant advantage. The move was specifically requested by Nuno Espírito Santo, who already knows Morato from their time together at Nottingham Forest.
Nuno was Forest manager when the defender arrived from Benfica in 2024. That existing relationship now gives Morato a familiar manager as he makes the unusual move from a Premier League club to a Championship side.
That’s also a fairly clear indication of how much their manager wanted this deal done.
Forest find solution after changing stance
The agreement completes quite a turnaround in Morato’s situation. Brazilian side Cruzeiro had made an enquiry earlier in the window, when reports in Brazil suggested Forest would only sanction a permanent transfer.
That position changed late last week. Forest became willing to accept a temporary departure, and interest quickly followed.
Roma and Milan were named as strong possibilities at that stage, but Morato has ultimately chosen a different route. He gets to remain in England and reunite with a manager who already knows exactly what he can offer.
Forest, meanwhile, retain control of the player’s future for now. West Ham’s purchase option means that could change next summer if his season in the Championship goes well.
His next challenge will now be helping Nuno and West Ham fight their way back to the Premier League.
