Time looks to be running out for Julen Lopetegui at West Ham. Despite heavy investment in the transfer market over the summer, the Hammers currently find themselves in a relegation battle under the guidance of Lopetegui, who replaced David Moyes as manager in May.
The Spaniard’s side are 14th in the league having won just three of their 11 games so far. Amid that poor run of form, West Ham’s board are now understood to be considering Lopetegui’s future at the London Stadium.
Speaking to Football Insider earlier this month, former West Ham recruitment employee Mick Brown said of Lopetegui’s situation: “He could lose his job and be sacked immediately, at any time, things can change with the click of a finger.
“When he was appointed to take over from Moyesy, they expected him to pick up where he left off and keep them moving up the table. From what I’ve heard, they were keen to give him time at first, but that faith is fading quickly.”
Mourinho “very interested” in Hammers job
Amid the talk of Lopetegui’s impending sack, Football Insider hs reported that former Chelsea, Manchester United, and Tottenham Hotspur boss Jose Mourinho is “very interested” in the prospect of taking over from the Spaniard.
The publication claims to have been told by sources that Mourinho would “jump at the chance” to return to London with the Hammers, and still has a house in the capital.
Mourinho, who typically plays a 3-5-2 formation and has previously been credited with turning his teams into “results machines,” by Jurgen Klopp, has been open about his desire to one day return to England.
After his Fenerbahce side held former club United to a 1-1 draw in the Europa League last month, Mourinho told reporters: “The best thing I have to do is when I leave Fener is that I go to a club that doesn’t play in UEFA competition.
“So a club at the bottom in England who needs a coach in two years, I’m ready to go,” he said, adding: “Nobody wants to watch the Turkish league.”
Mourinho’s managerial record
Self-proclaimed as “The Special One”, Mourinho, 61, is one of the most revered and decorated managers in football history. To date, he’s won no less than 26 major honours across spells in England, Spain, Italy, Portugal and Italy.
Related
Forget about Mourinho: West Ham could hire “genius” Lopetegui upgrade
West Ham are looking to appoint a new manager with Lopetegui failing to inspire.
In England, he’s best known for his time at Chelsea, where, in two separate spells between 2004 and 2015, he guided the Blues to three Premier League titles, three League Cups, and the FA Cup. He’s also the only manager in football history to have won all three of European football’s major club competitions.
Mourinho has won the Champions League twice, once with Porto and once with Inter Milan, while he’s also won the Europa League and Europa Conference League with Manchester United and AS Roma respectively.
