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…

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Author : Chris Moore

Publish date : 2024-05-03 21:19:35

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