West Ham United boss Julen Lopetegui is a man under huge pressure, with the meeting against former side Wolverhampton Wanderers seemingly his last opportunity to save his job.
The Hammers fell to an embarrassing 3-1 defeat against Leicester City on Tuesday night, heaping more misery onto the Spaniard after their terrible start to the new Premier League campaign.
The 58-year-old was brought in over the summer, replacing David Moyes, but up to now, the appointment has been a disaster, looking well off the levels expected by many upon his arrival.
julen-lopetegui-west-ham-premier-league
He was handed a huge transfer budget over the summer, spending over £120m on new talent, but so far he’s been unable to extract the best out of his squad, currently sitting in 14th, just six points clear of the relegation zone.
It’s been reported that he’s set to lose his job should they taste defeat against a Wolves side who are also on the brink of parting ways with Gary O’Neil, leading to one manager being touted for the role at the London Stadium should Lopetegui succumb to another loss on Monday.
West Ham targeting £9m Lopetegui upgrade
After the latest loss to the Foxes in midweek, various names such as Graham Potter, Edin Terzić and Sergio Conceicao have all been thrown into the mix as a possible replacement.
However, The Telegraph have reported that Brentford boss Thomas Frank is also of interest to the club’s hierarchy should they decide to part ways with the Spaniard.
Thomas Frank-Brentford
Any move for the Dane would undoubtedly be an ambitious one, especially considering he was linked with the Manchester United post after Erik ten Hag’s departure last month.
Should they decide to pursue any deal for the Bees head coach, it would cost them around £9m, with that the figure currently in his contract should any side want to prise him away from the Gtech Community Stadium.
He’s worked wonders during his time across the capital, leading the Bees to the Premier League for the first time, establishing them as a consistent top-flight side, as they currently sit in 11th place - five points better off than the Hammers.
Frank would be an unbelievable appointment, hopefully getting the best out of one player should the club decide to make the move for his services.
Why Frank would be perfect for Bowen at West Ham
Jarrod Bowen has been one of the leading stars for West Ham over the last couple of years, with his efforts being rewarded by being named as club captain in the summer.
Jarrod-Bowen-West-Ham
However, he’s only notched three goals in his first 14 matches so far this campaign, struggling to match his form from 2023/24, which saw him end the year with 20 goals in all competitions.
The potential arrival of Frank could see the 51-year-old replicate his success with winger Bryan Mbeumo so far this season, allowing the England international to recapture his best form.
Jarrod Bowen's Premier League stats for West Ham (2023/24)
Statistics
Games played
Goals scored
Assists
Shots on target
Pass accuracy
Touches in opposition box
Duels won
Possession won in final third
Stats via FotMob
The Cameroonian has registered eight goals in the same number of games as Bowen, evidently being able to extract the best of his abilities in the same role as the Hammers star.
The Brentford boss utilises a 4-2-3-1 system, the same as Lopetegui, with a real impetus of being strong at the back and being intense in regaining possession and breaking on the counter-attack, leading to journalist Henry Winter dubbing the boss as “remarkable”.
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His side have registered 27 goals, the fifth-best record of any side in the division, handing Bowen all the ammunition needed to thrive once more at the London Stadium - something which he's simply been unable to do under the Spaniard.
It’s clear that, given his ability to extract the best out of his side, the Bees boss would be the best option to replace Lopetegui, providing an upgrade on the current Irons manager with his ability to work on a budget and still deliver the goods - as seen by their current league standing.
Lopetegui is faced with a perilous task on Monday night, potentially losing his job should the worst outcome come to light, but if it does happen, Frank would be able to help transform the club’s fortunes and catapult them back to their performance levels from a couple of seasons ago.
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