West Ham United have renewed their interest in former Chelsea manager Graham Potter as they close in on the sacking of Julen Lopetegui, according to reports.
The pressure has been mounting on the Spaniard after a series of tough defeats that have left the Hammers in 14th place in the Premier League table, just seven points above the relegation zone.
Saturday’s 4-1 defeat to Manchester Metropolis was the fifth time Lopetegui’s side have shipped four or more goals in all competitions, and came just six days after a humiliating 5-0 home defeat to Liverpool.
Unrest among fans at the London Stadium has been evident for several weeks, with performance levels well below what was expected from a team that spent more than £150 million in the summer transfer window on players such as Max Kilman, Niclas Fullkrug, Crysencio Summerville and Aaron Wan-Bissaka.
Multiple sources reported early on Monday that West Ham manager Tim Steidten has been asked to stay away from the training ground as tensions rise behind the scenes, with The couple “does not get along.”
Subsequent reports, including those of the guardianhave revealed that the West Ham board has met to discuss the long-term future of Lopetegui, who has already been granted a stay of execution after a dismal performance on his visit to London’s Tottenham Hotspur that resulted in a tough 4-1 defeat.
talkSPORT Go so far as to say that a decision has already been made to part ways with Lopetegui, claiming that Potter is in talks to take up the top job in east London. Edin Terzic and Max Allegri, former Borussia Dortmund and Juventus respectively, have been promoted but are unlikely to take over.
Potter, 49, has been out of a job since leaving Chelsea in April 2023. He was only allowed eight months in charge of the Blues after being appointed on a five-year contract, reward for the progress he had overseen in Brighton in the previous three years.
Since then, a number of clubs have been linked with Potter, both at home and abroad, but until now he has remained on the sidelines waiting for the right opportunity to present itself.
West Ham only appointed Lopetegui in the summer after previous manager David Moyes mutually agreed to part ways with the club following the expiry of his contract. The Scot did a magnificent job during his second term at the club, winning titles for the first time in 43 years with success in the Convention League.
The Hammers also finished in the top seven in consecutive seasons, reaching the semi-finals of the Europa League 12 months before lifting the Convention League after remaining unbeaten throughout the competition.
