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West Ham United are on the verge of appointing Graham Potter as their new head coach, replacing Julen Lopetegui, who was dismissed on Wednesday.
The announcement is expected to be confirmed during a press conference scheduled for 9am on Thursday at the London Stadium.
Potter, who previously managed at Chelsea and Brighton, is set to sign a two-and-a-half-year deal. Discussions between West Ham and Potter progressed positively on Tuesday, paving the way for his anticipated return to management. If confirmed, his debut could come in Friday’s FA Cup third-round tie against Aston Villa.
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Lopetegui’s departure comes just eight months into his tenure at the club. West Ham announced his exit on Wednesday afternoon after canceling his scheduled press conference earlier in the day.
The Spaniard, who succeeded David Moyes last May, leaves the Hammers sitting 14th in the Premier League standings.
West Ham take action “in line with its objectives”
A club statement acknowledged the decision, saying, “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.”
Despite overseeing a summer transfer spend exceeding £100 million, Lopetegui secured only six wins in 20 league matches.
A 3-1 defeat to Leicester in December nearly cost him his job, with the board reportedly split on whether to sack him. Though he briefly steadied the ship with a victory over Wolves, subsequent poor results sealed his fate.
Potter’s arrival marks his first managerial role since his Chelsea stint ended after just seven months in charge. As West Ham looks to turn their season around, all eyes will be on Potter to deliver immediate improvement.
His love for youth and progressive style of play – as evident at Brighton – will be admired by West Ham fans. However, he had a time to forget at Chelsea as he proved, albeit within a short time, that the Blues job was too big for him to handle.
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