Finance Expert reacts to West Ham United move to replace David Moyes with Julen Lopetegui as offer tabled worth millions
Dan Plumley has reacted to news that West Ham United have made an offer to Julen Lopetegui to replace David Moyes as manager.
The Hammers tabled an offer worth up to £4.2m for the former Wolves coach [Tutto Mercato Web, 30 April], with current boss Moyes expected to leave the club when his contract expires at the end of the campaign.
When asked why West Ham may have begun their search early the football finance expert exclusively told West Ham Zone his thoughts.
“Modern day football dictates that [they move early]. It’s not just transfers and the transfer market that you have to start early with,” he said.
“If you’re planning for a manager change then that goes hand in hand because a new manager of course wants a look at the squad, a look at who he might want, a look at who he might not want, backroom staff, all sorts of considerations.
“Pre-season preparations off the back of a Euros, which will come fairly quickly as well, and then clubs will be straight back into pre-season for a lot of them.
“The time window is short and yeah, if you’re looking at a managerial change and again, internally, that might be something that is further down the track than we’re perhaps aware of, it stands to reason that you’ve got to make those moves early and give that manager the best possible start to be able to hit the ground running when the Premier League season gets up and running again.”
West Ham United have no time to waste
The upcoming summer at the London Stadium is going to be a busy one, with several players expected to leave and replacements needed as well as options to bolster the current squad.
But none of that can be done properly until the manager situation is resolved one way or another, and that means plans have to be made.
The chances of Moyes sticking around beyond the end of this campaign are basically zero at this point, with an acceptance that he is going to move, so the club must prepare for that eventuality or they risk being left short of time for other things.
Transfers can always drag on but the new manager will want things done quickly so he has as much time as possible with his players to implement his style and vision.
Whether that is Lopetegui or someone else, with Paulo Fonseca also strongly linked, the Hammers are doing the right thing by making moves now rather than waiting.
In other West Ham news, David Moyes has received an inquiry from a Euro club to leave the London Stadium.
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