David Moyes to leave West Ham at the end of the season; Julen Lopetegui expected to succeed him

David Moyes will leave West Ham at the end of the season, the club has announced, with Julen Lopetegui being appointed in his place for the 2024-25 campaign. Moyes’ contract expires at the end of the season and he had long been expected to leave, with West Ham struggling to stay in the league since the turn of the year.

Moyes will still leave east London with his reputation enhanced, as the Scot guided West Ham to two seventh-place finishes in the Premier League, as well as great runs to the quarter-finals and semi-finals of the Europa League. His notable achievement with the Hammers will forever be the 2023 Europa Conference League, where his team won the club’s first major trophy since 1980 with a 2-1 victory over Fiorentina.

Having guided West Ham to safety in an interim spell at the club in 2017, the Scot repeated the trick two years later before steering the club away from what appeared to be an annual battle against the drop. It says a lot about the standards he has set that the club’s ninth-place finish this season appears to be a disappointing return.

“I have enjoyed a brilliant four and a half years at West Ham and the club is in a stronger position than when I returned in 2019,” said Moyes. “When I joined West Ham for the second time, the club was one place above the relegation zone and it has been an incredible journey to have won three successive seasons in Europe.

“After steering the club to safety, we took the team to 6th and 7th place in the Premier League, and I was delighted when we won the Europa Conference League title last June – the club’s first major trophy in 43 years. thank all the players for their support and for all the success they have achieved over the last four and a half years.

“”I’ve really enjoyed working with everyone at West Ham and would like to thank the board for giving me the opportunity to manage this great club. I wish my eventual successor, the directors, the players, the staff, the fans and everyone at West Ham all the best for the future.”

CBS Sports understands that Lopetegui will be appointed in his place, although as of Monday morning a deal between the former Spain, Real Madrid and Wolverhampton Wanderers manager had not been finalized. The 57-year-old, who won the Europa League with Sevilla, was also linked with a possible place at AC Milan and was expected to attract further interest in the coming weeks, including from Bayern Munich, prompting West Ham to move forward with naming him. The club also held talks with Sporting coach Ruben Amorim, but without success.

West Ham also noted that the decision to part ways with Moyes early will allow fans to celebrate his tenure in the final home match of the season against Luton Town on Saturday. The 61-year-old coach’s last match will be away from home, against Manchester City.

“On behalf of everyone at West Ham United, I would like to offer our sincere thanks and gratitude to David for the contribution he made to the football club during his time as manager,” said co-chairman David Sullivan. “David has been responsible for a period of great progress and success in our history, and we are incredibly grateful for all of his hard work, commitment and dedication to the role.

“David has been an absolute professional to work with and will leave with our utmost 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. By making this announcement now, it allows David to receive the farewell he deserves from West Ham fans and allows us all to show our appreciation to him in our final home game of the season against Luton Town on Saturday.