Leicester City have put West Ham on red alert after making a big call to sack Steve Cooper with Julen Lopetegui under increasing pressure.
West Ham and Leicester both appointed new managers in the summer.
Ironically Steve Cooper was actually linked as a replacement for David Moyes at West Ham before the appointment of Julen Lopetegui.
Cooper would go on to be appointed by Leicester with the express goal of keeping the Foxes in the Premier League.
Meanwhile Lopetegui was backed with a £155m spend on nine new players and tasked with getting the Hammers back into Europe.
Now, despite being out of the relegation zone and just two points and two places behind West Ham, Leicester have sacked Cooper.
Last week I pointed out that West Ham’s worst Moyes fears could be realised when they face Leicester on December 3rd.
Moyes returning to West Ham for a third term was ruled out earlier this month.
West Ham on red alert as Leicester use Moyes smokescreen
But the Scot taking over as the manager of Leicester in time for them to Hammer the final nail in Lopetegui’s West Ham coffin was looking a distinct possibility before the international break.
Now it could very much be a reality.
Reports abound this evening that Moyes could take over at the King Power this week.
West Ham head there a week Tuesday for what promises to be a massive game.
Especially if the Hammers suffer two expected defeats against Newcastle and Arsenal in the days between.
It all comes as David Sullivan agonises over what to do for the best regarding his manager.
A Guardian journalist who counts Sullivan among his contacts has claimed Lopetegui could be sacked if West Ham lose to Newcastle and Arsenal.
A dozen managers have been linked as potential replacements in the last two weeks alone.
Now the gauntlet has been laid down to West Ham big time.
Cunning Foxes on hunt for two West Ham manager targets
West Ham are on red alert in the sack race as Leicester use Moyes as smokescreen.
As reporting intensifies around Moyes being the man in line to succeed Cooper, a Telegraph journalist says they are actually prioritising two big West Ham targets.
John Percy says Leicester are in contact with both Graham Potter and Ruud van Nistelrooy.
A journalist claimed Van Nistelrooy had made himself a ‘serious contender’ for West Ham after leaving Man United.
Meanwhile Potter has been on West Ham’s shortlist from April, when the decision to part company with Moyes had become clear.
Percy does state Moyes is a realistic candidate for Leicester too.
But Potter, who they approached in the summer, seems to be the prime target.
Potter held talks with Leicester before Cooper’s appointment. Negotiations collapsed over a number of factors, including the uncertainty at that time over a potential points deduction.
Ahead of West Ham’s game at Newcastle, Lopetegui has pleaded with Sullivan to give him until May.
The 57-year-old boss has also tried to use his powers of persuasion to save his job.
Lopetegui has insisted two players will completely transform West Ham soon – starting at Leicester.
Time will tell if Leicester make the Hammers hierarchy regret not acting sooner.
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