David Moyes is likely to see out his contract at West Ham United unless co-owner David Sullivan deems there to be a candidate of sufficient calibre available to take over, sources have told 90min.
The Scot has led West Ham to the top of their Europa League group, with Thursday’s 1-0 win over Olympiacos establishing a five-point cushion over the Greek giants with just two games of the first phase remaining.
Results have been more indifferent domestically for West Ham though. A strong start to the season saw ten points accumulated from the club’s first four Premier League outings, but just four points have been added from a possible 21 since – a hat-trick of defeats to Aston Villa, Everton and Brentford doing little to impress the section of the club’s support that are unhappy with results and the style of football played under Moyes.
Speculation over Moyes’ long-term future at West Ham has rumbled on for the best part of a year, with a parting of the ways looking likely early in 2023 as the club battled against relegation. An upturn in results saw safety achieved with relative ease before a historic run to the Europa Conference League final ended the club’s 43-year wait for a major trophy – earning Moyes his first piece of silverware in the process.
Moyes is out of contract at West Ham next summer but talks over an extension haven’t been held despite the club’s crowning glory in Europe. Instead, the focus switched to hiring a technical director that can overhaul the way the Hammers operate in the transfer market – Tim Steidten the eventual appointment in July.
90min understands that Sullivan has always been of the belief that Moyes is in the strongest position to take West Ham forward, both when the club were battling relegation and even now.
Due diligence was done on potential successors – Arne Slot and Paulo Fonseca two candidates West Ham considered in the summer – but Sullivan has been against bringing in a new manager unless he feels they are a significant upgrade on Moyes.
Graham Potter, out of work after parting company with Chelsea towards the end of last season, is a manager Sullivan is believed to appreciate, but Moyes still has his backing despite the club’s hierarchy being unenthused by West Ham’s recent string of Premier League defeats.
Moyes succeeded Manuel Pellegrini as West Ham’s manager at the beginning of 2020 and helped the club stave off relegation after a disastrous slump under the Chilean. The former Everton boss then led the Hammers to sixth and seventh-place finishes, in addition to bagging a surprise spot in the semi-finals of the Europa League.
West Ham took a step backwards in the Premier League last season, finishing 14th, but went the entire season unbeaten in Europe – a run that spanned 13 games – before beating Fiorentina 2-1 in the Europa Conference League final in Prague.
Reports suggested this week that Moyes could be offered a role upstairs at West Ham, but he told Sky Sports ahead of Sunday’s clash with Nottingham Forest at London Stadium: “I’m not in a hurry to stop managing, that’s for sure. I can grow teams and clubs. I genuinely think there are loads of similarities at West Ham [to Everton]. Things we can do better, what we’re trying to do.
“The fire always burns, even when I’ve been losing because I want to get back and get the result. The defeats are always hard to take and it doesn’t get any easier the older you get.”
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