EPL club sacks head coach following Man City defeat

West Ham United has parted ways with manager Julen Lopetegui after just 22 games in charge.

The decision, announced on Wednesday, comes following a string of disappointing results, leaving the Hammers 14th in the Premier League table with only six wins from 20 league matches.

A crushing 4-1 defeat to Manchester City last Saturday proved to be the breaking point for the club’s leadership. Despite taking training as usual on Tuesday, the 58-year-old Spaniard was informed on Wednesday that his tenure at the London Stadium had come to an end.

Speculation is already rife about Lopetegui’s successor, with former Chelsea manager Graham Potter widely expected to take the reins at West Ham.

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“West Ham United can confirm that head coach Julen Lopetegui has today (Wednesday) left the club,” the Hammers said in a statement.

“The first half of the 2024/25 season has not aligned with the club’s ambitions and the club has therefore taken action in line with its objectives.”

West Ham was among the biggest spenders in the Premier League in the summer transfer window, splashing out around £125 million ($155 million) on players including Max Kilman, Crysencio Summerville, and Niclas Fullkrug.

But Lopetegui won just one of his first six league games and oversaw several heavy defeats, including a 5-2 loss to Arsenal and a 5-0 drubbing by Liverpool, both at home.

The former Real Madrid and Spain boss was appointed in May last year to replace David Moyes, who left at the end of last season after a second spell at the London club.

Under the Scot, West Ham qualified for European competition for three consecutive seasons, winning the Europa Conference League in 2023 to secure the club’s first major trophy in 43 years.

Lopetegui, who had previously managed Wolves in the Premier League, said at the time of his appointment he had other opportunities, but he was “very happy that West Ham chose me because I chose West Ham too”.

In their search for a replacement for Lopetegui, the club reportedly spoke to former AC Milan boss Paulo Fonseca and ex-Paris Saint-Germain manager Christophe Galtier.

But Potter is the hot favourite to replace Lopetegui, with the club understood to have held talks with the former Chelsea and Brighton manager about becoming their new manager, initially on a short-term deal.

Potter, 49, has been out of management since he was sacked by Chelsea in April 2023, just seven months into a five-year contract. He won a mere 12 of his 31 matches in charge.

The Englishman began his managerial career at Swedish club Ostersund and had successful spells with Swansea and Brighton before taking over at Stamford Bridge.

West Ham face Aston Villa in the FA Cup third round on Friday before Premier League matches against Fulham and Crystal Palace.

Lopetegui is the fifth Premier League manager to lose his job this season, following the sackings of Erik ten Hag (Manchester United), Steve Cooper (Leicester), Gary O’Neil (Wolves) and Russell Martin (Southampton).

(AFP)