RIYADH: Saudi champions Al-Ittihad announced on Tuesday that they have parted ways with Portuguese coach Nuno Espírito Santo. The club thanked the outgoing manager, who joined the side on July 4, 2022, for his time with the team. “This decision comes after a comprehensive technical evaluation of the past phase, during which he was in charge of coaching the first team,” the club statement said, announcing the departure of Nuno Santos, who has managed Tottenham Hotspur, Wolverhampton Wanderers, and Porto. Assistant coach Hassan Khalifa will assume coaching responsibilities until a new manager is found. The club also said the coaching staff will be reorganized “to align with the clubs goals and the expectations of its fans”. Nuno Santo, who managed 56 games, winning 36 of them, helped to bring back the Saudi title to Jeddah after a 14-year drought. He also lead the team to a Saudi Super Cup earlier in the year.