Lopetegui left in limbo as West Ham move for Potter stalls over contract demand
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Julen Lopetegui is in limbo after West Ham’s move to replace their manager stalled over Graham Potter’s demand for a two-and-a-half-year contract. The club’s preference is for Potter to take over until the end of the season, only for uncertainty to flare because of the former Brighton and Chelsea manager’s request for a longer deal. That has left Lopetegui, who was said to be on borrowed time on Monday night, in the awkward position of remaining in his post even though he knows West Ham have decided to sack him.
Lopetegui took training on Tuesday and is preparing for Friday’s trip to Aston Villa in the third round of the FA Cup. He is due to give a press conference on Wednesday. The Spaniard has spoken to West Ham’s majority shareholder, David Sullivan, and has continued to focus on his duties. Lopetegui is aware of the situation, though, and there is unhappiness in his camp over the conduct of West Ham’s technical director, Tim Steidten, who has been heavily involved in the search for a new manager.
Steidten has been staying away from the training ground since last month – multiple sources have said the German has been asked to stay away by Lopetegui, which has been denied by the club. Trust between the pair is broken. Sources have said they are no longer aligned on strategy and it is hard to see how they can continue to work together.
West Ham will be in an awkward position if talks with Potter break down. A reprieve for Lopetegui could make life awkward for Steidten, whose work in the transfer market is under scrutiny. There is an acknowledgement that Steidten could end up leaving.
