Sullivan has to move heaven and earth for West Ham hire amid Lopetegui update

David Sullivan has to move heaven and earth to hire Edin Terzic as the new West Ham manager as Julen Lopetegui faces the sack.

The Guardian reported on 20 November that the Irons have looked at the currently out-of-work Terzic, as well as making "internal checks" on Kasper Hjulmand, Roger Schmidt and Sebastian Hoeness.

Of that quartet, only current VfB Stuttgart boss Hoeness is in work, with Terzic, Hjulmand and Schmidt leaving Borussia Dortmund, the Denmark national team and Benfica respectively across recent months.

However, one name stands out when it comes to appointments that would be popular with Hammers fans, and that's their former assistant coach who took Dortmund to a Champions League final; Terzic.

Edin Terzic has to be Julen Lopetegui's replacement at West Ham

The Hammers' hierarchy have been criticised from all angles for appointing Lopetegui in the wake of their slow start to the season, with the Spaniard seen as a safe, cheap choice over a more ambitious hire.

Out of work at the time of his appointment, Lopetegui's time in East London thus far has been an abject failure, but going for an unemployed manager could still come up trumps at the second time of asking.

With Terzic, Hjulmand and Schmidt all leaving their posts in June, July and August respectively – after Lopetegui was hired by the Irons in May – the market is rife with top-class managers looking for work.

However, given his previous history with the club, as Slaven Bilic's assistant between 2015 and 2017 during their transition to the London Stadium, Terzic is the obvious choice to make.

Lopetegui looks spent and Tim Steidten's reputation is firmly on the line, but the German returning his compatriot to East London would certainly go some way to showing that the Irons have ambition after all.

In other West Ham news, one player's career in East London could be over if developments with Lopetegui come to pass.

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