West Ham agree terms with Julen Lopetegui to replace David Moyes as new head coach | OneFootball

According to Fabrizio Romano, West Ham have agreed terms with Julen Lopetegui to replace David Moyes as their new head coach next season.

The Spaniard is said to have accepted the Hammers’ contract proposal, with just the details of the deal set to be finalised before the contract is signed.

As per David Ornstein of The Athletic, West Ham’s technical director Tim Steidten has lead the process to appoint a new manager this summer, in which Lopetegui has emerged as the club’s leading candidate after terms were discussed with multiple other options.

Having departed Wolverhampton Wanderers by mutual consent last summer, the 57-year-old is believed to have turned down multiple jobs over the past year, varying from clubs in La Liga, the Saudi Pro League, as well as Premier League. However, despite recent links to both Bayern Munich and AC MIlan, the former Spain international has chosen the London side as his next job.

Prior to his spell three-year spell at Sevilla until 2022, Lopetegui had a strange few years in management. First, despite being on a 20 game unbeaten run, he was sacked as Spanish national team manager just before the 2018 World Cup, having announced a deal to become Real Madrid boss after the tournament. However, the former Goalkeeper was then dismissed at Los Blancos themselves just 14 games later, having only won six and lost six during his brief time in charge.

Yet, Lopetegui eventually found success at Sevilla, leading the Andalusian side Europa League title in the 2019/20 season. He then joined Wolves in November 2022, taking the Midlands side from rock bottom and four points adrift from safety to finishing comfortably in 13th place – one point in front of David Moyes’ West Ham.

Though, due to disagreements with The Wanderers’ hierarchy over Financial Fair Play issues, his contract was mutually terminated just a week out from the beginning of the new season.

As for the departing Moyes, this marks the end of what has been an inconsistent yet historic second spell at The Hammers for the Scotsman. The former Manchester United boss has drastically outperformed initial expectations for West Ham, leading them to their first ever European trophy with a Europa conference league victory last season, but finished 14th in the league and has ultimately failed to follow on from the European success this campaign, standing in ninth place as it stands and being knocked out by newly-crowned Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen in the Europa League quarter-finals.

As such, the Claret and Blues’ faithful will hope Lopetgui can use his experience to turn things around at the London Stadium next season and have them competing for European football once again.

Travis Levison | Get Football