Quique Setien invited to West Ham United in Julen Lopetegui twist
Julen Lopetegui “opened the doors” for Quique Setien to look around at West Ham United, according to The Sun.
The news outlet reports [22 November] that the former Barcelona manager is keen to join a Premier League club and made a visit to different teams earlier this month.
While it’s unclear exactly when the Spanish head coach made his way to the Hammers, Lopetegui invited him to the East London club, with various managers “desperate for an audience”.
Quique Setien capable of replacing Julen Lopetegui at West Ham United
While there’s no mention of Setien being someone the Irons are looking at, with Lopetegui under pressure, the 66-year-old could be a great option to take the reins at the London Stadium.
After the departure of David Moyes, the West Ham faithful were looking for a progressive manager to take over, and while the former Wolves manager didn’t excite many, the fans backed David Sullivan’s decision in the summer.
Lopetegui was backed in the previous transfer window with some quality signings, but the 58-year-old has failed to bring the best out of the team, with the team hovering towards the bottom of the league table.
The Spaniard is lucky that he hasn’t been relieved of his duties yet, but the Hammers held internal discussions about the managerial situation during the international break [The Guardian, 20 November].
Setien has proven his ability in LaLiga over the years, thriving at Real Betis, and while his time at Barcelona wasn’t as fruitful, he’s someone capable of managing the Irons.
But it remains to be seen how long Lopetegui will survive at the East London club, with Sullivan keen on giving him time [GiveMeSport, 22 November].
In other West Ham news, Sunderland’s stance on a January transfer for Chris Rigg has been revealed.
For more West Ham news, follow us on Facebook or join our brand new WhatsApp Channel for instant updates to be sent straight to your phone.