Lille manager Paulo Fonseca is reportedly high up on the list of possible options to replace David Moyes as West Ham manager this summer.
The future of Moyes at the London Stadium remains up in the air, with his contract expriring at the end of the season.
He is yet to decide if he will stay on with the Hammers beyond the current campaign, as he weighs up his future in east London.
Supporters are generally split on the matter, with some happy with him and others wanting a new boss to take the team forward.
According to a new update from i, Fonseca is a strong contender to be Moyes’ replacement at West Ham after contacting him last year, as the club potentially plan for life without their current manager:
“Lille manager Paulo Fonseca tops West Ham’s shortlist to replace David Moyes, should the Hammers choose to part ways with their manager this summer.
“i understands Fonseca, who almost joined Tottenham three years ago before Nuno Espirito Santo’s appointment, has long been admired by senior figures at the London Stadium.
“The Premier League side made contact with the Portuguese coach last summer, according to a source, only to then decide to stick with Moyes for another season.”
Fonseca is an exciting candidate for West Ham if Moyes’ second spell at the club does reach its conclusion this summer, standing out as a talented and successful European manager who has already achieved a lot in a number of different countries.
The 51-year-old is a three-time Ukrainian Premier League and Ukrainian Cup winner from his successful period in charge of Shakhtar Donetsk between 2016 and 2019, not to mention clinching Portuguese Cup glory with Braga back in 2016.
This shows what a winning mentality Fonseca could bring to West Ham, with the Portuguese often preferring a 4-2-3-1 formation with a view to dominating possession, and his style of play could appeal to Hammers supporters.
Ultimately, the decision looks set to rest with Moyes, who still has credit in the bank after last season’s UEFA Europa Conference League win, with his team still in the Europa League at the quarter-final stage this time around.
