West Ham United sacked manager Julen Lopetegui on Wednesday, just 22 matches into his tenure. The club is expected to appoint former Chelsea manager Graham Potter as his replacement at the London Stadium.
The Hammers are currently 14th in the Premier League, with a seven-point cushion above the relegation zone. Under Lopetegui, West Ham secured only six wins in 20 league games. A humiliating 4-1 defeat to champions Manchester City on Saturday ultimately sealed the Spaniard’s fate.
Lopetegui, 58, had attended training as usual on Tuesday and reported to work on Wednesday, only to be informed that his time at the club had come to an end.
“West Ham United can confirm that head coach Julen Lopetegui has today (Wednesday) left the club,” the club said in a statement. “The first half of the 2024/25 season has not aligned with the club’s ambitions, and therefore the club has taken action in line with its objectives.”
Despite significant investment in the summer transfer window, where West Ham splashed around £125 million ($155 million) on players such as Max Kilman, Crysencio Summerville, and Niclas Fullkrug, Lopetegui’s reign was marked by struggles. The team endured heavy losses, including a 5-2 defeat to Arsenal and a 5-0 drubbing by Liverpool, both at home. Lopetegui won only one of his first six league matches in charge.
The former Real Madrid and Spain manager was appointed in May to replace David Moyes, who departed after a second stint at the club. Under Moyes, West Ham had qualified for European competition for three consecutive seasons, clinching the Europa Conference League in 2023 to secure the club’s first major trophy in 43 years.
At the time of his appointment, Lopetegui noted that he had other offers, but was “very happy that West Ham chose me because I chose West Ham too.”
The club reportedly considered other candidates, including former AC Milan manager Paulo Fonseca and ex-Paris Saint-Germain boss Christophe Galtier, in their search for a replacement. However, Potter, 49, is the frontrunner, with reports suggesting that West Ham has already entered discussions with him regarding a short-term deal. Potter has been out of management since being dismissed by Chelsea in April 2023 after just seven months in charge. He managed a mere 12 wins in 31 matches with the Blues.
Potter’s managerial career began with Swedish club Östersund, followed by successful stints at Swansea and Brighton before his move to Chelsea.
West Ham’s next fixture is against Aston Villa in the FA Cup third round on Friday, followed by Premier League matches against Fulham and Crystal Palace.
Lopetegui’s dismissal marks the fifth managerial change in the Premier League this season, joining Erik ten Hag (Manchester United), Steve Cooper (Leicester), Gary O’Neil (Wolves), and Russell Martin (Southampton) on the list of coaches sacked.
AFP
