West Ham are in advanced talks with former Wolves manager Julen Lopetegui, according to talkSPORT.
Lopetegui is now the clear favorite to replace David Moyes at the London Stadium and both sides are confident a deal is done.
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The Hammers have also held talks with Sporting Lisbon boss Ruben Amorim, who was previously linked with Liverpool.
talkSPORT reported last month that Moyes was increasingly likely to leave West Ham at the end of the season.
He is set to leave after guiding them to Europa Conference League glory and the top half of the league.
talkSPORT understands Moyes is unhappy with the club recruiting potential replacements while he is still in the job.
The club’s technical director, Tim Steidten, has agreed to avoid the first team dressing room until the end of the season.
Speaking ahead of their trip to Chelsea, he was asked if this would allow the players and staff to stay focused on their final games: “Absolutely.
“We don’t want any distractions, we’ll keep our eye on the ball. Tim’s got his job to do, I’ve got my job to do with three games to go, so I want to stay focused on these games.”
Lopetegui will arrive in east London with Premier League experience under his belt given his encouraging spell at Wolves.
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After previous spells at Real Madrid and Sevilla, the Spaniard arrived at Molineux in November 2022.
He guided Wolves to a 13th place finish in the Premier League but left the club last August after criticizing their lack of summer spending.
Lopetegui has been out of work since but could be close to a return this summer ahead of next season.
West Ham sit ninth in the Premier League and four points off the top seven, leaving European qualification in doubt.
Sunday’s defeat against Chelsea, who lead them by two points with a game in hand, could end their chances of playing on the continent next season.
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