Four on list as Hammers seek ‘high-calibre’ new manager

WEST HAM UNITED have drawn up a four-man managerial shortlist as the club’s owners look to replace David Moyes with a “high-calibre figure” within 10 days.

The club announced that Moyes had left the club after little more than six months in charge at the London Stadium, despite securing the club’s Premier League future with two games to spare.

David Sullivan, the co-owner, held talks with Shakhtar Donetsk manager Paulo Fonseca on Monday, although Fonseca is understood to have indicated that he would prefer to remain in Ukraine. Sources in Portugal last night suggested that the 45-yearold has chosen to renew his contract with Shakhtar.

It is also understood that Unai Emery, the former Paris SaintGermain manager who left the French champions at the end of the season, would have strong reservations about taking the job.

West Ham’s senior figures have long been admirers of Rafael Benitez, the Newcastle manager, as well as Burnley’s Sean Dyche and Huddersfield’s David Wagner. Manuel Pellegrini, the former Manchester City manager who is the head coach of Hebei China Fortune, is also in the running.

“We have taken steps to identify and recruit the manager we believe can take West Ham United forward in line with our ambitions,” Sullivan said. “We aim to appoint a high-calibre figure who we feel will lead the club into an exciting future for our loyal supporters within the next 10 days.”

It is believed that Moyes, who had becoming aware in recent weeks that the owners were unlikely to renew his contract, would only have wanted to stay if he was given a bigger budget and more control over signings.

West Ham said that Moyes had been appointed with the “sole objective” of keeping the club in the Premier League, but it was time to “move in a different direction”. (© Daily Telegraph, London)