On Wednesday, January 8, West Ham made the decision to dismiss Julen Lopetegui as their head coach, and former Chelsea and Brighton manager Graham Potter is poised to step in as his replacement.
The news was confirmed by renowned football transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, who wrote on X: “BREAKING: Julen Lopetegui has been sacked by West Ham, confirmed. Graham Potter set to become the new head coach with contracts being checked.”
Potter, who was sacked by Chelsea in 2023, has been without a managerial role since then. While he had attracted interest from other Premier League clubs, including Everton, it is West Ham who have secured his services as they look to turn around a disappointing season.
At the time of Lopetegui’s departure, West Ham sat in 14th place in the Premier League with 23 points, just seven points above the relegation zone.
