West Ham confirm Graham Potter as new manager following Julen Lopetegui sacking
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West Ham have confirmed the appointment of Graham Potter as their new manager. The Hammers announced on Wednesday that Julen Lopetegui had been sacked after only six months in charge and a miserable first half of the season. Potter, who has signed a two-and-a-half year contract with the east London club, returns to the Premier League for the first time after being sacked by Chelsea in April 2023.
The 49-year-old has been waiting for the right job to return to management and West Ham hope he could be the coach to turn their fortunes around. Potter was one of the most highly-rated English managers around during his time at Swansea and Brighton but struggled to convince during less than seven months at Chelsea, albeit during a turbulent time for the club.
He will be joined at the London Stadium by assistant manager Bruno Saltor, plus first-team coaches Billy Reid and Narcis Pelach. West Ham announced that Xavi Valero would remain the club’s goalkeeping coach. “I am delighted to be here. It was important to me that I waited until a job came along that I felt was right for me, and equally that I was the right fit for the Club I am joining. That is the feeling I have with West Ham United,” Potter said.
“My conversations with the Chairman and the Board have been very positive and constructive, we share the same values of hard work and high energy to create the 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 the Club forward in the medium to long term.
