West Ham United make ‘decisive move’ for Julen Lopetegui amid AC Milan development
West Ham United have reportedly made a “decisive move” for Julen Lopetegui, with his proposed deal with AC Milan “at a standstill”, according to Milan Live.
The report on 2 May reveals that, though it seemed the Spaniard was on the brink of joining the Rossoneri, backlash from the club’s fans have brought negotiations to a halt.
Lopetegui is thought to feature highly on West Ham’s list of potential replacements for David Moyes – and with the 57-year-old’s move to Italy seemingly stalling, the club have acted swiftly and are “ready to take him to London immediately.”
West Ham United fans may not be enamoured with Julen Lopetegui either
Should talks advance with Lopetegui to replace Moyes – if the Scotsman does indeed walk away from West Ham this summer, as he is expected to upon the expiry of his contract – the Hammers hierarchy should expect a similar reaction to the one Milan’s chiefs were faced with.
The rationale behind moving on from Moyes – as far as the fanbase is concerned – was to help the side evolve into a younger, sleeker and more possession-oriented unit and, in doing so, ensure their current crop of exciting attackers such as Mohammed Kudus and Jarrod Bowen are utilised to their full potential.
Lopetegui’s reputation does not quite fit the brief, though it must be noted that his CV is commendable.
A former goalkeeper who spent time at both Real Madrid and Barcelona – though he featured rarely at those clubs – Lopetegui has managed Porto, Spain, Real Madrid and Sevilla before garnering Premier League experience with Wolves.
That is an impressive set of clubs to have worked with and perhaps fans would be pleasantly surprised if the Spaniard were to move to London.
Lopetegui would certainly have to win them over first, though – with style and not just substance.
In more West Ham news, key duo Lucas Paqueta and Mohammed Kudus could be on the verge of departing the London Stadium.
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