West Ham United deadline set on Julen Lopetegui sack call

West Ham United will make a decision on Julen Lopetegui in the next 48 hours, according to John Cross.

Cross' report for The Mirror's online edition [4 December] details how the hunt for a European place going south has forced crunch talks to take place to make a definitive decision on the Spaniard's future.

Several suggestions of successors to the 58-year-old have dominated the news in the Premier League since Tuesday night [3 December], when the Hammers were beaten 3-1 by Leicester City.

West Ham United to decide on Lopetegui before Wolves game

Should West Ham make the brazen call to end Lopetegui's stint as the club's first-ever 'head coach' just 16 games in, he will be denied the chance to take on his former side Wolves.

The game on Monday [9 December] is winnable on paper but the Hammers have endured some appalling results this season and the defending has at times bordered on kamikaze - especially at Leicester and over the weekend against Arsenal.

There have been rare glimmers of hope but for a side that have spent around £120million in the summer in an unprecedented transfer window at the London Stadium, it has largely been unacceptable.

Lopetegui will hope the return of Niclas Fullkrug can help in turning the tide, but his job security hangs by a thread and this week will be a torturous one of uncertainty.

A host of names have been linked with replacing the former Spain and Real Madrid boss in the past 24 hours, dispelling the argument of a lack of suitable options.

In other West Ham news, Darren Bent questions the entire appointment of Lopetegui in the first place.

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