West Ham United have unveiled Graham Potter as their new manager following the departure of Julen Lopetegui.
Lopetegui was relieved of his duties on Wednesdayjust six months after joining the club as David Moyes’ replacement, having overseen just seven wins in 22 games in all competitions.
The decision to part ways with Lopetegui was formally confirmed after an agreement was reached with Potter, whose arrival in West Ham now it’s official.
“I’m delighted to be here,” Potter said after signing a two-and-a-half-year deal. “It was important for me to wait until a job came along that I felt was right for me and also that I was the right choice for the club I was joining. That’s the feeling I have with West Ham United.
“My conversations with the president and the board of directors have been very positive and constructive, we share the same values of hard work and great energy to create solid foundations that can produce success, and we are on the same wavelength in terms of what is needed in the short term and then how we want to move forward The club is moving forward in the medium and long term.
“West Ham United is a huge club, in the heart of London, with a huge fan base and huge support around the world. I saw the scenes that followed them winning the European Conference League in 2023 and it was clear that this is a club with everything in place as you would be consistently successful, on and off the court.
“The club has made a lot of good progress in recent years and has ensured that there are very strong foundations to build on. You don’t win a European trophy by accident – a football club has to have a good foundation for that to happen and now the challenge is to take that and make the next steps, develop a team and a club that the fans can be proud of.”
Potter, who is returning to management for the first time since leaving Chelsea in April 2023, will play his first game on Friday when West Ham travel to Aston Villa in the third round of the FA Cup.
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