- Former Wolves boss Julen Lopetegui has reportedly agreed to join West Ham
- David Moyes’ future looks increasingly uncertain after their 5-0 defeat to Chelsea
- It’s that time of the season! Who are the five best players of the season? Listen to the It’s all starting! podcast
Former Wolves boss Julen Lopetegui has reportedly agreed a deal to replace David Moyes as West Ham manager next season.
Moyes’ future looks increasingly uncertain after a series of poor results, the latest of which was a 5-0 thrashing of London rivals Chelsea, leaving the club ninth in the Premier League standings, with just one victory in five games.
Mail Sport reported that West Ham were in advanced talks to secure Lopetegui as their new boss last week and, according to Fabrizio RomanoAn agreement has been reached for the Spanish to take charge.
The report claims that the Spaniard has “accepted” West Ham’s offer and is “ready to move on to the formal stages”, finalizing the finer details before contracts are officially signed.
A separate report from The Athletic also reported that Lopetegui had agreed to the deal, claiming the manager wanted to join the Hammers despite an investigation by Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich, who announced Thomas Tuchel would be leaving earlier in the year. .
Julen Lopetegui would have reached an agreement to replace David Moyes at West Ham next season
Moyes is under pressure at the London Stadium after his team were beaten 5-0 by Chelsea.
The struggling Hammers have conceded ten goals in consecutive away games
Sporting Lisbon coach Ruben Amorim was the alternative name on a shortlist of two candidates, but his £12.8m release clause had become a major obstacle.
And on Monday Amorim confirmed he would stay at the Portuguese club, saying he was “under contract” and enjoying “a special moment” after winning the title.
Wolves’ improvement under Lopetegui following his arrival in 2022 is said to have been one of the key factors in their emergence as a serious contender for the job, as well as their track record of lifting other teams during their career.
The Molineux club were in the relegation zone with 10 points when he was appointed as Bruno Lage’s replacement in 2022, but ultimately finished in 13th place, finishing the campaign with a ratio of 1.35 points per game, the seventh highest of any top-flight coach in his 23 games. in charge.
Similarly, during his time in Sevilla he recorded a higher points-per-game ratio and winning percentage than current Aston Villa manager Unai Emery during his time at the club between 2013 and 2016.
Lopetegui’s track record of improving teams, especially at Wolves, is said to be a key factor in West Ham’s interest.
Ruben Amorim was open to joining West Ham but talks hit a roadblock over his release clause.
Moyes’ position appears untenable after his team were defeated again, weeks after being thrashed 5-2 by Crystal Palace, just a year after the Scot won the UEFA Conference League to end their wait. 43 years old for the titles.
“It’s not good,” Moyes said when asked about his team’s performance in west London. ‘He lacks toughness, leadership, mental strength. There are two games in which we have conceded five.
‘The manager will always take responsibility, that’s what happens when you do this job. You have to prepare them, configure them.
“But at some point players have to take responsibility for doing their job and being tough to play against, and being aggressive and competitive.” I wonder if we were all that in the first half.
‘Too many bad things in the game. It’s happened several times this season and I certainly haven’t enjoyed it. I didn’t enjoy today at all.
‘Players who are not in positions, are left without position and open easily. “I thought we made it harder for them to score in the second half, but we gave away two ridiculous goals in the second half.”