West Ham have agreed a deal in principle with Julen Lopetegui to succeed David Moyes as manager.
Lopetegui has been unemployed since leaving Wolves three days before the start of the 2023/24 season, but has continued to live in England in a bid to return to Premier League management.
The 57-year-old, who also managed Porto, Spain, Real Madrid and Sevilla throughout his illustrious coaching career, is set to take charge at the London Stadium at the end of the season following departure expected from Moyes.
Moyes is out of touch this summer and faces growing questions over his future as West Ham have won just one of their last nine Premier League games and were beaten 5-0 by Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Sunday .
After the match, Moyes was asked if he was frustrated by the club’s links with other managers. He replied: “I will talk to the board about it at the end of the season. We will do it then.”
He added: “I’m the manager, I take ownership, but some players have to take ownership too. I feel bad for the fans, I don’t normally have teams come and get beaten like that.
“But we are missing some ingredients – the mental toughness, the leadership to not get hammered like we have been on several occasions. I can only say that I am very sorry for the way the match went. “
West Ham are ninth in the Premier League and have reached the quarter-finals of the Europa League this season.
Last season, Moyes guided the club to their first European trophy since 1965 when they beat Fiorentina to win the Europa Conference League.
‘I’m just getting started here’ – Lopetegui on the Premier League
Talk to Sky Sports News journalist Danyal Khan in December, Lopetegui explained why he feels he has unfinished business in the Premier League and revealed he had met with the PFA, LMA and PGMOL in his spare time in a bid to prepare for a return to the English Premier League.
“That’s why I said no to different countries and different situations because I would like to stay here in England. I feel like our team here is just getting started and we want to achieve our dreams.” Lopetegui then declared.
“The way the country experiences football here is special: it’s the best league in the world, the most competitive league in the world, the best environment for players, coaches and fans too.”