West Ham United are reportedly considering potential replacements for current manager Graham Potter, with Slaven Bilic and Nuno Espirito Santo emerging as leading candidates. Potter's position at the London Stadium is under increasing pressure due to the team's poor start to the season. The club is languishing in the Premier League relegation zone after conceding 11 goals in just four matches.
According to talkSPORT, West Ham are drawing up contingency plans in case they decide to dismiss Potter. Former West Ham manager and player Slaven Bilic is reportedly on a shortlist of three potential replacements. Bilic, 57, is a beloved figure at the club, having managed the Hammers from 2015 to 2017. In his first season, he led them to a seventh-place finish and qualification for the Europa League playoffs. However, he was eventually sacked in November 2017. Since then, Bilic has had unsuccessful stints both domestically and overseas, most recently with Al Fateh in Saudi Arabia. Despite this, his potential return would be a popular move among many West Ham fans.
Nuno Espirito Santo is another name being considered by the West Ham hierarchy. The Portuguese manager was recently dismissed by Nottingham Forest despite securing European qualification, reportedly after clashing with owner Evangelos Marinakis. Prior to Forest, Nuno had impressive spells with Wolverhampton Wanderers. Some believe his similar style of play to former West Ham manager David Moyes could make him a good fit for the club. Nuno's "priority" is to remain in the Premier League, and he is keen to jump back into management as soon as possible. According to Mick Brown, a former scout working with West Ham, Nuno is going to be high on the list of potential replacements for Potter because of what he did with Nottingham Forest.
Sean Dyche is also reportedly being considered if West Ham's poor form continues. Dyche has remained on the sidelines since departing Everton.
The catalyst for this speculation appears to be West Ham's 3-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur, which intensified scrutiny of Potter's tactics and recruitment. West Ham's management issued a statement expressing their dissatisfaction with the team's current trajectory. Potter's arrival was initially met with optimism, but he has struggled to halt the decline since taking over from Julen Lopetegui in January. Despite spending £125 million during the summer transfer window, the team has not found the expected cohesion.
West Ham host Crystal Palace on Saturday, followed by a trip to Everton on September 29. Winning both games could buy Potter more time to turn things around. However, a defeat against Crystal Palace could seal his fate. The club's second-highest shareholder, Daniel Kretinsky, is currently in the country, which could make for an interesting debrief at the London Stadium.
While some reports suggest that Slaven Bilic is a contender to take the hot-seat, other sources claim that the club has downplayed the likelihood of his return. Other names linked with the job include Jose Mourinho, Kieran McKenna, and Gareth Southgate. However, Mourinho is reportedly in advanced talks with Benfica.
