West Ham closing in on naming Lopetegui as their next manager
West Ham is set to sign Julen Lopetegui as its next head coach. Veteran Scottish manager David Moyes has been at the helm of the Hammers ever since late 2019. His arrival at the time was his second stint with the club after he previously took over during the 2017/18 season.
Moyes was previously under fire last season as the east London side slipped in the Premier League standings. The Hammers dropped down to 14th in the table in 2022/23, a year after finishing seventh. Nevertheless, the coach essentially saved his job by winning the Europa Conference League last summer. The triumph was certainly unique as the club became the lowest-placed team in their domestic table to win a European trophy.
There have been various suggestions that West Ham recently offered their current coach a new contract. Despite feeling the heat from the fans, Moyes then claimed that any decision on his future would not come until the end of the season. The writing, however, is now on the wall and Scot is likely to depart London in the coming weeks.
Hammers turned to Spaniard after Amorim negotiations fell through
According to a report by The Guardian, Hammers brass is advancing in talks with Lopetegui. While the details still need to be ironed out, an agreement between the two sides seems to be within reach. Even though Moyes is not yet out the door, the club is certainly actively looking for his successor. It was previously reported that Sporting CP‘s Ruben Amorim was negotiating a deal to join West Ham.
Amorim is widely seen as one of the top young coaches in all of Europe. The Portuguese manager was previously linked with fellow English side Liverpool. Nevertheless, West Ham, or any other team, would have to pay Sporting a supposed fee of around $16 million to sign the coach. This price tag was too much for the Hammers to even consider paying.
Unlike Amorim, Lopetegui is currently without a job, thus making him a free agent. The Spanish manager most recently took over at Wolves during the 2022/23 campaign. He also previously coached at successful European clubs such as Real Madrid, Sevilla, and Porto. Before joining Los Blancos, the Spaniard had an unbeaten run of 20 games with the Spain national team.
Lopetegui worked wonders last season at Wolves
Lopetegui may not be the most popular pick for Hammers fans. Yet, his recent work at Wolves cannot go unappreciated. The manager entered the fray at the West Midlands side with the club sitting bottom of the Premier League standings. However, Lopetegui made an instant impact with his new squad. With the Spaniard at the helm, Wolves not only avoided relegation. They climbed up to 13th in the table.
Lopetegui’s departure from the English club was not down to his failures as their coach. Instead, the manager opted to leave the team due to their precarious financial situation. Lopetegui wanted to improve the squad by spending in the summer transfer window. The club, however, sold several key players. This list included stars such as Ruben Neves, Matheus Nunes, and Nathan Collins.
West Ham currently finds themselves ninth in the English top-flight table at the moment. The Hammers will have to make a late push to grab a European place next season, something that Lopetegui will surely be hoping for.
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