West Ham confirm Julen Lopetegui will replace David Moyes as head coach

west ham confirm julen lopetegui will replace david moyes as head coach

Julen Lopetegui has been out of work since leaving Wolves last summer. Photograph: WHUFC

West Ham have confirmed Julen Lopetegui will succeed David Moyes as their head coach. The Spaniard has signed a two-year deal with an option for a third.

Moyes has left at the end of his contract after four and a half mostly successful years and Lopetegui is clear to take over having been out of work since he quit Wolves last August.

The former Spain and Real Madrid manager won the Europa League at Sevilla in 2020 and guided Wolves away from relegation trouble after taking in November of last season, finishing 13th. He left Wolves because of concerns over their lack of transfer activity.

Lopetegui will be handed funds to improve West Ham’s squad and his first pieces of business could be signing two players from Brazil. The club are in talks over a deal to sign the 28-year-old Brazil centre-back Fabricio Bruno from Flamengo and the 19-year-old winger Wesley Gassova from Corinthians.

The size of West Ham’s budget could depend on whether Lucas Paquetá, whose contract contains an £85m release clause, is targeted again by Manchester City. Paquetá leaving would depend on the Football Association ending an investigation into alleged betting breaches by the midfielder, who denies wrongdoing. West Ham are determined to keep the Ghana attacker Mohammed Kudus.

“We had other opportunities but I am very happy that West Ham chose me because I chose West Ham too, so we are really happy about this,” Lopetegui said. “We came here with the idea and the thought to make a big, big noise.”

The 57-year-old, who will officially start on 1 July, said of setting his sights high: “I feel that we have a fantastic platform. I think the last few years have been very good years to have this base, of course, but my ambition as a coach is always to be better and better, to achieve more and bigger aims and to encourage and improve the players, the team, and to compete because football is about this – to compete. We are very ambitious about this.”

West Ham said Lopetegui was bringing with him five backroom staff.

OTHER NEWS

23 minutes ago

Video: Michael Phelps says false doping accusations eroded 'a lifetime of mental health growth' - and now regulators turning a blind eye to accusations of China doing just that

23 minutes ago

Video: Nigel Farage makes thinly veiled swipe after being booed by crowd as he wins best news presenter at the TRIC Awards

24 minutes ago

Newly sworn-in ANC MP Zizi Kodwa: State’s case against me is ‘nonexistent’

24 minutes ago

John 5 Responds to Accusations of Guitar Miming With Motley Crue

24 minutes ago

Despite political uncertainty, Cape Town's office rental market thrives

24 minutes ago

Labor’s renewables-only approach ‘can’t’ stabilise Australia’s energy grid

24 minutes ago

Medihelp reports strong growth, more younger members join

24 minutes ago

Never (really) too young to have a will

24 minutes ago

Exciting call for nominations for the 2024 AWIEF Awards

24 minutes ago

Blockchain vs Crypto

24 minutes ago

Texas A&M beats Florida 6-0 to make CWS finals for 1st time as Gators shut out 1st time in 2 years

24 minutes ago

Generative AI sent to the dock in RIAA ‘BBL Drizzy’ legal action

24 minutes ago

The Matric mandate: a barrier to employment for South African youth

24 minutes ago

One of 2024's biggest new anime series will be shown in cinemas – one month before its Netflix and Crunchyroll release

24 minutes ago

Money Show host Bruce Whitfield to leave Primedia

24 minutes ago

Great Wolf Lodge water park in Webster will open earlier than expected, according to website

24 minutes ago

Employers' role in health and wellness to promote employee well-being, by Medshield

24 minutes ago

How environmental toxins and pollution affect our health, by Medshield

24 minutes ago

LA broadcast TV legend Tom Van Amburg — who gave Regis Philbin his daytime start — dead at 83

24 minutes ago

Video: Shocking moment thugs armed with Rambo knives fight in the middle of the day on residential London street

24 minutes ago

Everything you need to know about changes coming July 1

24 minutes ago

Coalition slams Prime Minister for not expelling rogue Labor Senator Fatima Payman

24 minutes ago

Former Fremantle Dockers and Brisbane Lions star Lachie Neale and wife Julie Neale announce baby news

24 minutes ago

Toronto's Zach Edey eyes top 20 pick as Raptors continue rebuild in NBA draft

24 minutes ago

Aston Martin Valiant: A Hardcore Track Star With a Manual

24 minutes ago

Wes Streeting says Labour's rail nationalisation plan would bring down fares

24 minutes ago

Anthony Joshua set to land chance to become a three-time heavyweight champion against Daniel Dubois on September 21... as Oleksandr Usyk VACATES his IBF belt after taking rematch with Tyson Fury

24 minutes ago

Kevin Rudd joins Julian Assange as he arrives for court appearance

24 minutes ago

Now Nigel Farage suggests Zelensky should make peace with Putin

24 minutes ago

Multi-talented Kea Zawadi first female presenter of Algoa FM Top 30

24 minutes ago

5 free agents Kaizer Chiefs could bring to Naturena to bolster their squad

28 minutes ago

ESPN analyst ranks Patriots defense as top-five unit in NFL

28 minutes ago

Daybreak Foods, YES Programme partner to combat youth unemployment

28 minutes ago

CNBC Daily Open: Nvidia rallies after sell-off, lifts S&P 500 and Nasdaq

32 minutes ago

Gavin Newsom blasts 'delusional California bashers' in speech

33 minutes ago

Dragon Age: The Veilguard is Teasing Answers to a Big Qunari Mystery

33 minutes ago

Fed's Bowman Says 'Not Yet' Appropriate to Cut Rates

33 minutes ago

Why Dunkin' Donuts' New Commercial Actress Looks So Familiar

33 minutes ago

Costly election pledges in France stoke fears of splurges that risk pushing country deeper into debt

33 minutes ago

Mark Cuban offloads 14 NFTs from his collection in two days