At the culmination of the season, Moyes will depart from West Ham. West Ham has announced that manager David Moyes will depart at the end of the Premier League campaign.
This follows earlier on Monday, when Guillem Balague of BBC Sport revealed that former Wolves manager Julen Lopetegui had agreed to take Moyes’ place.
The 61-year-old Moyes was under growing pressure following a string of disappointing performances, which included Chelsea’s 5-0 loss on Sunday.
“It is a stronger club than when I came back in 2019, and I have had four and a half fantastic years at West Ham,” Moyes remarked.
The Scot became the club’s second manager in December 2019 and led the Hammers to their first major trophy in forty-three years last season—a Europa Confrence League championship.
However, his team has lost five of its last ten games in all competitions and only won one. Currently ranked ninth in the Premier League, it is probably going to miss out on playing in Europe for the fourth time in a row.
“It has been an incredible journey to have achieved three consecutive seasons in Europe when I joined West Ham for the second time,” Moyes continued. “The club was one place above the relegation zone when I joined.”
“Over the past four and a half years, I would like to thank all the players for their support and accomplishments.
Although no contracts have been finalized as of yet, Lopetegui, the former manager of Real Madrid and Spain, is almost certain to rejoin the Hammers after leaving Wolves in August of last year.
West Ham acknowledged that the hunt for Moyes’ replacement had started, but they stated they would only comment once an appointment had been made.
According to West Ham’s joint chairman, David Sullivan, Moyes was “responsible for a period of great progress and success” in the team’s history.
“David has been an absolute professional to work with, and he will leave with our greatest respect and good wishes. He deserves to be held in the highest esteem for the service he has given to West Ham United, and we wish him every success in the future,” Sullivan concluded.
“Making this announcement now allows David to get the send-off he deserves from the West Ham supporters and allows us all to show our appreciation to him at our final home fixture of the season against Luton Town on Saturday.”
When Moyes took over at West Ham in November 2017 after Slaven Bilic was sacked, it was his first time managing the team.
He quit in May 2018 before Manuel Pellegrini was appointed, even though he had led the Hammers out of the Premier League’s relegation zone.
After Pellegrini left in late 2019, with the team only one point above the relegation zone, Moyes took over.
After placing sixth in 2020–21 and seventh the following season, the Hammers guaranteed European football for the first time in their history with their league position in consecutive seasons.
After defeating Fiorentina in the Conference League final on a historic evening in Prague in June 2023, he brought success to Europe with a trophy procession through east London.
The Hammers have given up 70 goals in the Premier League this season, which is tied for the most in a single campaign, as a result of their crushing defeat at Chelsea.
The only teams with lower defensive records are Burnley (74), Luton (78), and Sheffield United (100), who are the bottom three.
On May 19, West Ham play their final game of the season away to Manchester City following their Saturday home match against Luton.
Credit: BBC Sports
