da dobrowin： West Ham could appoint a "strong personality" coach to replace manager David Moyes as he becomes a favourite for the job, according to reports.
Moyes likely to leave West Ham in 2024
da spicy bet： The Scotsman's contract is set to expire in 2024 as things stand, and recent reports have suggested that West Ham are unlikely to offer Moyes a new deal.
While he's guided them through their most successful period of recent decades – winning the Europa Conference League last season and ending a 43-year wait for a major trophy – Moyes has somewhat divided the fanbase recently.
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Some supporters aren't exactly thrilled with West Ham's style of play under the 60-year-old, and since the beginning of last season, their league form has been pretty inconsistent.
Reliable media sources claim Moyes also has a fractious relationship with technical director Tim Steidten, and it is believed the club have come close to sacking him as manager on more than one occasion this past 12 months (The Guardian).
This week, Football Insider lifted the lid on "significant tension behind the scenes" in an update on Moyes – with the site claiming there had still been no talks over a fresh contract.
Lopetegui is now a firm favourite to succeed Moyes
Now, the same outlet has another update on Moyes and who could replace the former Man United boss in east London.
Football Insider, and their reporter Wayne Veysey, state that ex-Wolves and former Sevilla boss Julen Lopetegui is very much in the frame.
Indeed, Veysey writes that Lopetegui is a "top contender" to replace Moyes at West Ham after leaving Molineux, and it is believed the 57-year-old is keen to make a Premier League return.
He was a candidate to replace Steve Cooper at Nottingham Forest, but a move fell through due to Lopetegui's concerns over a lack of control and distrust in owner Evangelos Marinakis.
Now, a move to the London Stadium appears possible for Lopetegui, and we believe he could be an exceptional choice. Lopetegui possesses a good amount of pedigree, having won the Europa League with Sevilla, and also has proven English top-flight experience.
Wolves owner Jeff Shi, commenting on Lopetegui after the club appointed him in 2022, praised the Spaniard as a "strong personality".
"Julen has a strong personality and he’s a coach with clear leadership, not just with football players but with the clubs he has been at," said Shi to the Wolves official website.
"He has a lot of experience in elite football and his track record is proven. We know we are in a difficult moment as a team right now, so we especially need a strong leader, with a strong personality, more than any other time I have been here. It is because of this that Julen was always our preferred choice."
You could make a very serious argument that there are few readily available free agents of Lopetegui's level, so this will be an interesting development to watch at West Ham.