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6 months ago
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Former Wolves boss Julen Lopetegui has reportedly agreed a deal to take over from David Moyes as West Ham boss next season.
Moyes' future is looking increasingly uncertain after a string of poor results - the latest of which was a 5-0 hammering by London rivals Chelsea - leaving the club ninth in the Premier League table, with just one win from five games.
Mail Sport reported West Ham were in advanced talks to secure Lopetegui as their new boss and according to Fabrizio Romano, a deal has been agreed for the Spaniard to take over.
The report claims the Spaniard has 'accepted' West Ham's offer and is 'ready to proceed to formal stages', with the finer details being finalised before contracts are officially signed.
Sporting Lisbon coach Ruben Amorim had been the alternative name on a two-man shortlist - but his £12.8million release clause had become a significant obstacle.
Julen Lopetegui has reportedly agreed a deal to replace David Moyes at West Ham next season
Moyes is under pressure at the London Stadium after his side were hammered 5-0 by Chelsea
The struggling Hammers have now conceded ten goals in back-to-back away games
And on Monday Amorim confirmed he would be staying with the Portuguese club, saying he was 'under contract' and that he was enjoying 'a special moment' after winning the title.
Wolves' improvement under Lopetegui following his arrival in 2022 is said to have been one of the key factors in his emergence as a serious contender for the job, as well as his track record of lifting other teams during his career.
The Molineux club were in the relegation zone with 10 points when he was appointed as Bruno Lage's replacement in 2022 but eventually finished 13th, ending the campaign with a 1.35 points per game ratio - the seventh highest of any top-flight boss in his 23 matches in charge.
Equally, during his time in Sevilla he recorded a more successful points per match ratio and win percentage than now Aston Villa boss Unai Emery did during his spell at the club between 2013-2016.
Lopetegui's history of improving teams - especially at Wolves - is said to be a key factor in West Ham's interest
Ruben Amorim was open to joining West Ham but talks hit a stumbling block over his release clause
Moyes' position appears to be untenable after his side were thumped again - weeks after being thrashed 5-2 by Crystal Palace - just a year on from when the Scot won the UEFA Conference League to end their 43-year wait for silverware.
'Not good,' Moyes said when asked about his team's display in west London. 'Lacking toughness, leadership, mental toughness. That's two games we've come away where we've conceded five.
'The manager will always take the responsibility, that's what happens when you do this job. You have to prepare them, set them up.
'But somewhere along the line the players have to take responsibility for doing their jobs and being hard to play against, and being aggressive and competitive. I question if we were all that in the first half.
'Too many poor things within the game. It's happened several times this season, which I've certainly not enjoyed. I didn't enjoy today at all.
'Players not in positions, running out of position and opening up to easily. I thought the second half we actually made it harder for them to score, but we gave away two ridiculous goals in the second half.'
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