West Ham decide to part company with Julen Lopetegui and already have replacement lined up.
West Ham have decided to part company with manager Julen Lopetegui, talkSPORT understands.
The Spaniard joined the Hammers in the summer as the successor to David Moyes, but has left the club 14th in the Premier League.
Lopetegui has come under increasing pressure in recent weeks amid their poor form, with just six wins coming from 20 league games.
A 4-1 defeat to Manchester City on Saturday has appeared to be the final straw.
It is understood that ex-Chelsea boss Graham Potter is in talks to replace Lopetegui and is expected to be named as his replacement.
Potter has been out of work since he left the Blues in April 2023 following a successful stint at Brighton.
The length of his contract remains to be seen but it is understood that he is happy to join until the end of the season.
talkSPORT reported last month that former Juventus manager Max Allegri was in talks with the club.
However, it looks as though Potter is on course to seal a return to management with an appointment at West Ham.
It is also understood that sporting director Tim Steidten now faces an uncertain future at the club.
The Hammers have tasted back-to-back defeats in the Premier League, with the City result following a 5-0 mauling by Liverpool.
An unbeaten run of four matches, which included two wins, over the festive period sparked a sense of an upturn in form.
Although West Ham remain seven points above the relegation zone, the club’s hierarchy have decided to make a change now.
A push for European qualification during the second half of the season appears to be an unlikely prospect as of now.
It would spark a second consecutive campaign without continental football just two years after they won the UEFA Conference League.
West Ham’s chances of success ahead of the summer have been dealt a huge blow amid Jarrod Bowen’s recent injury.
The club captain was substituted in their home defeat to Liverpool and has suffered a fractured foot.
talkSPORT understands that Bowen is set to be out for six to eight weeks, which potentially rules him out until early March.
West Ham next face Aston Villa in the FA Cup third round on Friday night, live on talkSPORT.
They then return to Premier League action on January 14 at home to Fulham followed by another London derby against Crystal Palace.
