West Ham United are internally discussing the possibility of appointing their next manager for an initial six-month deal.
The pressure is mounting on Julen Lopetegui, and he is fighting to save his job.
The Spaniard will stay in charge for Monday night’s clash against Wolverhampton Wanderers, but a defeat or a draw in that game could put an end to his reign at the club.
According to a report from The Telegraph, the short-term deal offer from West Ham could appeal to Graham Potter, as opposed to other foreign candidates.
Potter still lives in Brighton, and West Ham would be an “easy move” for him, even on a short-term deal.
Will Graham Potter be a good appointment for West Ham?
The 47-year-old manager did an incredible job at Brighton, but he failed miserably at Chelsea and has been without work since 2023.
Potter is aware that long-term contracts hardly mean anything in management. He was given a five-year contract at Chelsea and was sacked after less than seven months in charge.
The Hammers board members had a meeting on Thursday to discuss Lopetegui’s future after West Ham lost 3-1 against Leicester City in midweek, which was their seventh defeat in the 2024/25 Premier League campaign already.
While he remains in charge for now, his long-term future is under doubt, and Potter could come under serious consideration if the Hammers lose against Wolves.
Despite spending heavily in the summer, the performance of the team has not been up to the required standard, and massive improvement is required.
There is hardly any evidence to suggest that the Hammers are improving under Lopetegui, which remains a major concern.
Potter could be in demand by next week, as Wolves have also contacted the former Chelsea boss about replacing Gary O’Neil at the Molineux.
West Ham have also considered Edin Terzic, Roger Schmidt, Sergio Conceicao and Massimiliano Allegri as potential candidates to replace Lopetegui.