Super agent Pini Zahavi is speaking to West Ham about a £20.5m deal for a new boss a source close to the Hammers board has claimed.
Pini Zahavi’s dealings with West Ham can be charted all the way back to the early days of his career as a sports agent.
Zahavi was behind the deal which brought his fellow Israeli Eyal Berkovic to West Ham.
He was also Rio Ferdinand’s agent when he made his £18m move from West Ham to Leeds – a then world record for a defender.
Former sports journalist Zahavi has ties with one of his early clients Barry Silkman, who is an advisor to West Ham majority owner David Sullivan to this day.
Now it seems Zahavi could have a hand in who the Hammers hierarchy might pick as their next manager.
West Ham are in the midst of what appears to be due diligence on an unprecedented number of prospective replacements for David Moyes.
The east Londoners have been linked to no fewer than 14 managers in the last week alone.
West Ham’s 14-strong manager “shortlist”
Sullivan has definitely had talks with at least one of those – Ruben Amorim.
And reports have claimed the West Ham chief has also spoken to – and been impressed by – Julen Lopetegui.
Among the other 12 names on the West Ham shortlist is ex Germany and Bayern Munich manager Hansi Flick.
Last week a journalist with strong West Ham connections revealed Flick is also in the frame to succeed Moyes after being invited to a game this season.
His fellow German Tim Steidten, is working with Sullivan to find the club’s next boss.
Flick has been out of work since last September.
Therefore West Ham would not have to pay any compensation for his services.
They would, however, have to pay him well to be named Moyes’ replacement it seems.
Super agent Zahavi pushing £20.5m deal for Flick as new boss
And super agent Zahavi is speaking to West Ham about a £20.5m deal to have Flick as their new boss.
That’s according to a board source speaking to Sean Whetstone about the situation.
Whetstone counts Sullivan and vice-chair Karren Brady among his contacts.
He says Zahavi is really pushing his client Flick to Steidten and co.
“Super Agent Pini Zahavi is punting Germany manager Hansi Flick to Tim Steidten,” Whetstone said.
“Flick earned £6.84m per season at Bayer Munich and would be looking for a similar wage deal to manage in the Premier League. A three-year contract would cost the Hammers £20.5m.
“The 59-year-old managed the German national team after leaving Munich and was sacked last September. A Daily Mirror report claimed he attended a West Ham game at the London Stadium earlier this season as a guest of the club. He previously managed Victoria Bammental and 1899 Hoffenheim.
“West Ham insist no decision has yet been made on David Moyes future and any interest in any candidates is purely as a contingency plan should the position become vacant.”
Flick was Bayern boss for two years between 2019 and 2021, winning every possible club trophy.
While managing Bayern Flick won the Bundesliga twice, the Champions League, the UEFA Super Cup, FIFA Club World Cup, German cup and Supercup.
That earned him the German national team job.
But a torrid tenure over a transitional team saw him leave after a last 16 Euros exit to England in 2021 and a group stage exit from the Qatar World Cup.
He then became the first manager ever to be sacked by Germany after a 4-1 friendly defeat to Japan last year.
You can see some footage from Prime Video of Flick doing his thing in the Germany dressing room below.