David Sullivan is becoming increasingly uneasy with the situation at West Ham and will break the habit of a lifetime if he axes Julen Lopetegui.
That’s according to a new claim that has emerged about a new name in the West Ham frame overnight.
Julen Lopetegui looked agitated when asked how he feels about reports he’s on the brink of the sack as Hammers boss.
The Spaniard has overseen just three league wins since taking over from David Moyes.
West Ham sit 14th in the Premier League table with 11 games played.
That’s despite spending £155m on nine new signings in the summer.
Lopetegui was tasked with getting the Irons back into Europe.
But going into two extremely tough fixtures against Newcastle and Arsenal, his side are closer to the bottom three.
So close in fact – five points – that defeats in their next two could see West Ham in the bottom three 13 matches into a campaign which promised so much.
Should that happen, West Ham will sack Lopetegui by next Sunday according to Guardian journalist Jacob Steinberg.
The reporter is known to count majority owner David Sullivan among his closest contacts.
Unhappy Sullivan eyes move for Premier League boss
Lopetegui survived the international break.
But not by much if reports are to be believed.
Sullivan really likes Lopetegui. He told Hammers News in the summer that the manager is a ‘real pro’.
He’s an owner who doesn’t like sacking managers full stop let alone mid-season.
The billionaire has apparently been agonising over what to do for the best.
The board have made it clear they are far from happy with what they’ve seen so far and have called for big improvements.
According to several different sources, West Ham used the break to identify potential replacements should Lopetegui lose the next two games.
What looks a more likely scenario is that Sullivan will give Lopetegui the Leicester game too.
Edin Terzic, Graham Potter and at least 10 other managers have been linked with the Hammers of late.
Overnight a new name entered the frame. And it is very intriguing indeed.
Because unhappy Sullivan will break the habit of a lifetime with a move for a Premier League boss as the West Ham axe looms over Lopetegui.
Hammers chief to break habit of a lifetime for Iraola?
According to a new report from Team Talk, West Ham have now made Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola a prime target to replace his compatriot.
Not only that, it’s suggested Iraola, who has done a remarkable job with the Cherries, would welcome the move.
West Ham fans have been using Bournemouth as an example of what they were hoping to see when Moyes was replaced.
Most Hammers supporters wanted a young, innovative manager who plays attacking, exciting football.
Iraola has achieved that on a tight budget on the south coast. It is also not lost on West Ham fans that the 42-year-old had his team playing a completely new style within a few months.
After six months having Lopetegui at the helm at West Ham, nobody is any the wiser how the team is trying to play or what their identity is.
In fact before the international break, Lopetegui said he can’t implement his style because of the players he has been given.
West Ham believe they can lure Iraola
That’s not what the owners expected or want to hear after a £155m spend.
Interestingly the Team Talk report claims Iraola is attracted to the West Ham job because of the quality squad they have put together – as well as the size of the club.
Sullivan would be breaking the habit of a lifetime if he makes that move, though.
Because he would have to do something he is usually very reluctant to – fork out money for compensation.
It’s not clear what that compensation might be – but it would likely only be paying up Iraola’s salary.
That may still amount to around £5m.
The report states that West Ham are ‘ambitious’ and want to bring in a manager who ‘plays attractive football and is in line with their ambitions’.
It claims Iraola has been discussed and the Hammers believe they can tempt him away from Bournemouth.
If West Ham lose to Newcastle and Arsenal then we may well find out if that’s the case.
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