Hammers majority owner David Sullivan is willing to make an exciting Julen Lopetegui-pleasing West Ham bid.
It is fair to say Julen Lopetegui was not necessarily a resounding choice among West Ham fans to be the club’s new boss.
Indeed he may not even have been West Ham’s first choice after those infamous talks with Ruben Amorim.
What we do know is that Lopetegui ‘won over’ Hammers majority owner David Sullivan during talks.
Many West Ham fans are also warming to Lopetegui having heard from the Spaniard about his plans and aspirations.
The 57-year-old must get the team playing a much better and more modern brand of football, though.
David Moyes’ tactics served West Ham well but they belong to a bygone era. And that was evident as the Hammers became a busted flush under the Scot large parts of the last two Premier League seasons.
Reports have claimed Lopetegui wants to rip up West Ham’s woeful defence this summer.
Captain Kurt Zouma and Nayef Aguerd are up for sale with technical director Tim Steidten trying to sign two new central defenders.
Lopetegui plots defensive overhaul
In order to combine style with substance, Lopetegui knows he must build from a solid base.
West Ham had anything but last season, shipping a record 74 goals and taking some hammerings along the way.
Lopetegui walked out on Wolves on the eve of last season over broken promises regarding spending and ambition.
And it was already widely known that Lopetegui walked out on Wolves last August over broken promises regarding spending and ambition.
That has been viewed as a positive by many with fans feeling it proves he will push West Ham’s owners to invest in the team.
It seems that is going to be the case if a new report is to be believed.
Because Sullivan is willing to make an exciting Lopetegui-pleasing West Ham bid.
Sullivan willing to make exciting Lopetegui-pleasing bid
According to a new report, West Ham will back Lopetegui’s request to make a move for Wolves star Max Kilman.
Daily Mail reporter Tom Collomosse has confirmed Lopetegui’s desire to sign the Kilman after their time together at Wolves.
“Max Kilman is a renewed target for West Ham with Julen Lopetegui keen to be reunited with the defender he made captain at Wolves,” the report states.
“The centre-back was followed closely by the Hammers last summer but they ultimately never made a formal bid…
“Lopetegui was a huge admirer of Kilman during his short time at Molineux and would gladly make him a mainstay of the team he hopes to build at the London Stadium.”
Wolves are said to value their skipper at £45m. That would take a big chunk out of West Ham’s summer budget.
Board right to back new boss
But the Hammers may be able to negotiate that price down. Not that Kilman wouldn’t be worth the money. West Ham would be getting a homegrown player, a leader and one of the best defenders in the Premier League at a great age.
And it seems Sullivan is willing to push the boat out to please his new head coach according to sources inside the club speaking to Hammers News.
While Steidten is in charge of recruitment, Sullivan is said to be keen to show support for Lopetegui by trying to sign some of the players on his wish-list – which has the support of the technical director too.
At the weekend Hammers News reported that West Ham appeared to drop a big Kilman transfer hint on their official website.
Last week talkSPORT named the four key signings they believe Lopetegui is looking to make to go straight into his new-look West Ham starting XI next season.
Kilman was one of them alongside Guilherme, Jota Silva and Youssef En-Nesyri.
It’s very encouraging to hear the board are willing to back Lopetegui and Steidten. What would be the point of hiring a new manager and not doing exactly that?
Especially with the club set to announce record turnover topping £365m.
Kilman is a superb ball-carrying defender who would undoubtedly be a major upgrade on Kurt Zouma.
He is also a London boy so may welcome a return to the Big Smoke with the Hammers.