West Ham United are facing a major problem in their bid to appoint former Real Madrid manager Julen Lopetegui, according to a report.
David Moyes is expected to depart The Hammers at the end of his contract which expires on June 30 and work to appoint his successor have been going on behind the scenes.
Sporting boss Ruben Amorin has held talks with the East Londoners but it appears Lopetegui, who departed Wolves last August, is in pole position.
Though, such news has caused a little unrest among West Ham fans and that has thrown a spanner in the works.
The problem West Ham are facing
So, the news of Lopetegui’s potential arrival hasn’t gone down particularly well among Hammers supporters and GiveMeSport’s Dean Jones believes the club may have to consider a U-turn.
“One of the big early problems around Lopetegui is that it is already becoming clear he is not a very popular choice among many in the fanbase. They have tolerated Moyes but are ready for a new era of football and I think this is a choice that most find underwhelming,” Jones said.
“The Lopetegui talk is genuine, he has been a candidate for this job for some time but they were also serious about Ruben Amorim and Paulo Fonseca.
“I think most people will agree that this is a good moment for Moyes to go but this appointment of Lopetegui is not going down well initially and the noise around such a leak gives David Sullivan a small window of opportunity to consider whether this really is the best choice for the club going forward.”
Though, Jones added that talks with the Spaniard may be too advanced to turn back.
“I have spoken to people who say this is very advanced though, so it might have already gone too far to turn back on.”
Julen Lopetegui or Ruben Amorim
Lopetegui or Amorim?
That’s the choice the West Ham board must make and quickly, as they’ll want to begin planning for the fast-approaching summer transfer window.
If Moyes is to depart, they need a ready-made replacement ready to sign on the dotted line on July 1 – when the Scotsman is expected to officially leave the club.
Lopetegui isn’t the popular choice but has got Premier League experience with Wolves, as he steered them away from relegation last season.
Amorim, although untested at this level, is the more exciting appointment given the terrific job he’s done at Sporting.
The 39-year-old, in his short career on the touchline, has five trophies to his name, including the Liga Portugal, which he won in 2021.
It’s a tough decision for the board, but all things, at the moment, point toward Lopetegui being the new man in the London Stadium dugout.