West Ham are dropping a clanger after a public declaration from soon to be out of work elite manager Thomas Tuchel.
West Ham are on the verge of appointing Julen Lopetegui as David Moyes’ successor.
After officially announcing Moyes’ impending departure, talkSPORT state Lopetegui could sign his Hammers deal today.
The move has not been universally welcomed by West Ham fans.
One fan poll saw thousands vote in favour of keeping Moyes over hiring Lopetegui.
Some supporters have also signed up to a petition against his appointment at the London Stadium.
The 57-year-old – labelled a ‘Spanish Moyes’ by some – has not captured the imagination like other alleged West Ham candidates.
Elite boss linked with Hammers makes public declaration
Ruben Amorim, Paulo Fonseca and Thomas Tuchel were also reported to be on West Ham’s final shortlist.
Back in March, journalist Graeme Bailey exclusively told Hammers News that people shouldn’t underestimate West Ham’s ability to lure Tuchel – who is leaving Bayern Munich at the end of the season.
Bailey revealed Tim Steidten and Tuchel are good friends who had come close to working together at Chelsea.
“In a dream world he’d (Steidten) like Tuchel, who he’s close friends with, and some people would scoff as those types of links but West Ham are a huge club in London, 60,000 fans and they’ve got a squad that would appeal to a lot of people,” Bailey told Hammers News at the time.
Bailey also revealed Tuchel, who kept his house in London, is desperate to return to the Premier League this summer.
With Liverpool turning to Arne Slot and Xavi staying at Barcelona, West Ham could well be one of the best jobs available to Tuchel this summer.
West Ham dropping major Tuchel clanger
But David Sullivan and co look set to press ahead with naming Lopetegui as the 18th permanent manager in West Ham’s 129-year history.
If that is the case West Ham could be dropping a clanger after a public declaration from Tuchel today.
The German manager has now come out and stated his desire to return to the Premier League this summer – just as Bailey told us two months ago.
It will surely make West Ham fans unconvinced by Lopetegui question whether a rethink is needed.
“It is no secret that I loved it at Chelsea, I loved it in England and I loved it in the Premier League for sure,” Tuchel has told TNT Sports.
“It was a very, very special time and I remember it very well (fondly).”
Opportunities to hire a truly elite level manager do not come around often for a club like West Ham.
Hammers looking a gift horse in the mouth
With Tuchel there is zero risk. This is a top level manager who is on the verge of leading his team to the Champions League final.
It’s nothing like the Manuel Pellegrini situation where he had been in the footballing backwater that is China.
Some West Ham fans have warmed to the idea of Lopetegui in recent days.
But there is no hiding that it carries risk.
Tuchel is available as a free agent, which checks a big – some would argue the biggest – box on Sullivan’s list of criteria.
He is close friends with the club’s influential technical director.
Tuchel has now confirmed he would love to return to the Premier League.
And he already has a house right here in London.
The stars have aligned for West Ham here. It feels like they are ignoring all the signs by going with Lopetegui.
It could be a decision they very much live to regret.